A New Year, An Expanded Garden

And Look Who's here!

​We have a MONARCH!!    
What a great day in the garden!  The first butterfly, a Spicebush Swallowtail, appeared at 12:37 and stayed for a short time on the ground under a butterfly bush.  

Three minutes later, the Great Spangled Fritillary landed on the butterfly bush and spent much time in the garden all day.

Then, I saw the Monarch on the ground!  A Most Exciting Moment.  This beautiful male is here so early this year.  He arrived about 12:40 and stayed through the day, enjoying the butterfly bushes until 5:30!   

Shortly, another Great Spangled Fritillary arrived, and the two dashed and played all around the garden.  What a time I had, trying to keep up with all the activity. 

Later in the afternoon, the Monarch was on the butterfly bushes, the Fritillaries were everywhere, and a gorgeous American Painted Lady sailed in, to perch on a marigold!   At 5:15, a skipper arrived   not yet identified. Shortly after, another skipper came probably Zabulon or Hobomok. 

The most unusual sighting of the day was that of a Spicebush deep inside a daylily! The Monarch had stayed most of the day and ended the afternoon enjoying the bloom on the milkweed:  asclepias incarnata, Ice Ballet.  It was very late in the day for these butterflies, and the American Painted Lady landed once more in the grass.
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After having worked since April to get the garden ready (more information on this later) and after waiting for visitors to fly in, today was a great reward!