We have a garden dedicated to hummingbirds in a park not too far from our home. It has a small pond with water lilies and a number of flowers to attract hummingbirds.
I’m not sure the people who tend it have noticed, but it is also a wonderful garden for insects.
The hummingbirds benefit from the insects and spiders, too. They use the spider webs for their nests and regularly feed on small insects.
Maybe it should be called a “wildlife” garden.
What do you think?
Although it is commonly called the California patch butterfly, Chlosyne californica occurs in Arizona as well.
The larvae feed on on Parish’s goldeneye or desert sunflower, Viguiera deltoidea var. parishii.
It closely resembles some of the color variations of the bordered patch butterfly, so the two may be somewhat difficult to tell apart. Some books suggest the orange-brown marginal spots are the best way to tell.
I have to admit I’m still learning the West Coast butterflies. The best way to do it is one sighting at a time, like this one.
Do you have any butterflies in your yard this week?
It is time for the spring butterflies, like this checkered white.
Although common some years in the Southwest, checkered white butterflies are found throughout the United States, and are thought to move north through the summer.
Here in the desert, the adults visit the seasonal wildflowers for nectar.
(Photograph by Megan McCarty at Wikimedia)
The larvae (caterpillars) have black and yellow spots and speckles. They feed on plants in the mustard family, which are only abundant after sufficient winter rains.
Have you seen any checkered white butterflies yet this year?
For more information, see Roberta Gibson Writes.
© 2025 Growing With Science Blog
Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑