My Butterfly Project

Posted by BBBadmin | Added on : August 08, 2012 5:02pm | Last edited: August 08, 2012 5:05pm | Viewed 3341 times | 1 Comments

In the Spring I was visiting a friend whose garden was filled with beautiful blooms and butterflies fluttering all around.  When I stopped to look at it, she suggested a visit to another friend who was actually growing butterflies inside a gazebo.  My interest was peaked as I had loved butterflies all my life.

After a quick visit to see her project, my husband and I were both hooked!!  Within a week, we had a gazebo set up, had visited a local nursery to stock up on milkweed and other nectar plants and our gardening began.  I left several milkweed on the deck to attract the monarchs and put some inside the gazebo to serve as a food source for the developing caterpillars.  Once the eggs started hatching we would transfer them inside to protect them from predators.  When we saw our first monarch chrysalis being formed and then the ‘birth’ of the butterfly, we were totally in awe of such a metamorphosis right before our eyes!!

We purchased books on butterfly gardening in Florida, studied the life cycles of the butterflies in our yard, and have continued to add plants to not only attract the butterflies, but the hummingbirds and other birds as well.  It’s been a beautiful experience which we have documented with many pictures and videos.  The Garden is an interesting place and every afternoon I sit on the deck and just watch the wildlife come alive!!

In addition to the Monarchs, we have also raised Gulf Frittilary and Black Swallowtails.  We are now enjoying watching the Giant Swallowtail lay eggs on the lemon tree and the caterpillars love basking in the Florida sun!!  To date, we have released 136 butterflies.

Thank you to Pat Mickler of Jacksonville, Florida for sharing her article and pictures with us!   We appreciate your efforts and are tempted to start our own butterfly project!