The Majestic Flight of the Monarch

I'm looking forward to the warm spring in the UK....

Harry...(see IMDB)

Harry,

Nice photo. Is spring witch burning season in your part of the world? I joke.

Welcome

Several years ago I decided to supplement my birdwatching books with butterfly identification books.... I was astounded (and a bit dismayed) to discover how many kinds of butterflies there are. 

Aside: Vladimir Nabokov (best known for his work 'Lolita' unfortunately) was a world class lepidopterist.  I only became aware of this after reading his novel 'Ada' in which his detailed and obviously informed comments on butterflies caught my attention.  Incidentally, this man's incredible mastery of the English language is a little-known wonder.  He is the English language equivalent (in my opinion) of Ramon de Valle-Inclan.  Both gentlemen require one to carry a dictionary on one's knee to fully appreciate them!  For more on Nabakov:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Nabokov

My earliest memories of butterflies involved my mom (ever the naturalist) and me bringing 'butterfly cocoons'  into the house, placing the sticks with the cocoons into glass bottles, and then waiting until (wonder!) one morning:  there was a butterfly!  It seemed like a miracle to me that 'worms' (caterpillars) could turn into butterflies.  Actually, now that I think about it, it INDEED IS a miracle -- just as so much of our worlds are.  It's sad how we tend to take the miraculous and lose our sense of wonder as we age....  Maybe it's time we all planted flowering weeds in our back yards (instead of neatly mowed grass) just to attract the bizarre and beautiful critters with whom we share this flyspeck planet of ours. 

I wonder if butterflies will still flitter around the ruins of civilization long after humans have reverted to the status of one more endangered species, precariously 'holding on'....

These fragile creatures are more sturdy than one would imagine.  Occasionally we find one with a damaged wing.  At this site we learned how to mend the intrepid travelers and snd them on their way.  http://www.livemonarch.com

Actually, when we see monarchs in our yard- and it isn't often- a swarm would be five or six. They are on the fence beneath the mulberry tree and we have no idea why??

Aitch,

Did a quick cruise around your various googlings. You're having an interesting life it seems and can surely add a lot to The Eye- if you have the time.

Slow afternoon- why not?

The last time our dog and I went to visit the indomitable Ms., she gave me the business there for giving her the business here.

I plopped, as usual, into a chair studying a red feather.

"You seem," she noticed, "a little morose."

"I killed a cardinal down the road," I sniffed.

Sighing, she turned to stare out the window:
"These are difficult times for the church."

The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.  ~Rabindranath Tagore

Thought I'd introduce a little poetry.

Stoney started it.

Two nuns, a Brit and an American, decided to take a tour north of the Vatican and visit Transylvania. Naturally they were wary of vampires. Sure enough, as they crossed the border a Vampire dropped onto the bonnet of their rental car and shrieked at them through the windshield. "Turn on the windshield wipers, love," said the British nun. "I took the liberty of filling the reservoir with holy water before leaving." The American nun did as instructed, and while the flesh boiled and hissed off the vampire it nonetheless held fast to the car. "Turn the rear view mirror around at it, dear," said the Brit. "Vampires hate mirrors." But the vampire stayed on the car. The American nun had an idea. "Show him your cross!" she said to the Brit. The British nun rolled down her window, leaned her head out and yelled "GET OFF MY F-ING CAR!!!"

Hello all. Hope everyone is well rested and content after the holiday. I see there have been many changes, a bunch of postings, new avatars, and quite a few new people at "The Eye" during the last several days. How exciting! Welcome to all the newcomers. I'll have to attempt to catch up by reading the old posts, exploring what's new, and learning how to upload some of my travel pictures. By the way, on the road for many hours, Scrabble was played and Einstein's riddle was sol-ved!

I have returned from my recent trip just in time to clean out the refrigerator/freezer, which decided to stop working while we were gone...yuck...

It was a good Thanksgiving. My brother, whom I hadn't seen in years, was also able to join us. However, two days with my mom always equals two weeks of concentrated mental effort to remove the Yankee accent and put the r's back into my words. I think it's known as the ‘pahk yah cah in Haahvahd yahd' syndrome. Of course, I had to stop at the local Newport Creamery - at "The Sign of the Golden Cow" - to slurp down a chocolate malted cabinet, eat a grinder on a torpedo roll at Braga's, partake of a cruller (or two) at Allie's donuts, and buy some Eclipse Coffee Syrup to bring back with me - "you'll smack your lips, when it's Eclipse."  Oh, ‘Auhnty' Em, there's no place like home!

Now, on topic:

I have spent quite a bit of time researching and designing my home landscape to accommodate butterflies, and moths, during their entire life cycle. My neighbors think my yard looks a bit unkempt, at times, especially when I allow some weeds and other carefully chosen plants to naturally reseed themselves, instead of pulling them out right away after flowering; compared to their perfectly manicured and chemically treated yards. Beneficial insects, birds, reptiles and amphibians, however, seem to be quite content with the environment I've created. There are a variety of plants for adult butterflies to feed on, food plants for the caterpillars, roosting areas, mating areas; all staged for continuous flowering from Spring through the Fall.

Each type of butterfly has its own unique requirements for an optimal habitat. Most of the vegetation I have relied upon is native, so I haven't spent much money attempting to coax something into growing that does not belong in this part of the country. Also, it's good to avoid non-native plant species that may spread unchecked and out of control, actually hurting the local environment.

The most important part of attracting butterflies has been NOT to use any pesticides. At first, it seems as if the ‘bad bugs' are taking control but, as the entire habitat becomes established and settles down, a balance is achieved between all the creatures. A common practice that bothers me tremendously, in my neck of the woods, is "routine" spraying...even done during times of very low counts of mosquitoes; on which our local bat, frog, and dragonfly populations feast. As much as our County insists no other insects are harmed by the broadcast spraying, I always see a decline in the ladybug, tree-frog, and butterfly numbers during periods of intensive artificial control methods.

In addition to the Monarch butterfly, our area is home to Anise, Black, Zebra and Eastern Tiger Swallowtails; Great Spangled Fritillaries; Buckeyes; Silver-Spotted Skippers and more...the names alone can be fascinating. Moths can be just as interesting. Sometimes we see the spectacular long-tailed, green Luna Moth and every year we have many Hummingbird Clearwings - they look just like small (1"- 2") hummingbirds sucking nectar out of honeysuckle blossoms.

They are incredibly beautiful, varied and resilient little critters, belying their fragile and delicate impression.

I believe Stoney started this.

An Amish boy and his father were visiting a nearby mall. They were amazed by almost everything they saw, but especially by two shiny silver walls that moved apart and back together again by themselves.

The lad asked, "What is this, father?"

The father, having never seen an elevator, responded, "I have no idea what it is."

While the boy and his father were watching wide-eyed, an old lady in a wheelchair rolled up to the moving walls and pressed a button. The walls opened and the lady rolled between them into a small room. The walls closed and the boy and his father watched as small circles lit up above the walls.

The walls opened up again and a beautiful twenty-four-year-old woman stepped out.

The father looked at his son anxiously and said, "Go get your mother."

I bet butterflies migrate through Nova Scotia. There, tip o' the hat to the topic. NOW. About Nova Scotia, and neighboring New Brunswick...

Been thinking about getting myself a Peterman-sized spread. Happened to see some nice bits of farm, forest, barns, and houses, and all for reasonably good prices. Personally, I liked the 425 acres to be had for a little over US$100k. My sweetie likes the 108 with the house and outbuildings already in place. AND with the livestock. AND the farm equipment. All for about US$300k.

I'd rather have the land, and make the house and outbuildings myself. And livestock is easy to get.

Anybody familiar with the area around Tatamagouche? And around the coast into New Brunswick? Ever seen the butterflies there? I'm taking all manner of advice on this one.

Jonathan Isles,
Nova Scotia? Are you serious? It's a beautiful (in my opinion anyway) place. You would be close to the Bay of Fundy, sandy beaches, and fresh seafood. Then, there's the forest, with its many Parks and trails for biking and hiking, and the waterways for kayaking or canoeing. There are many organic farms, vineyards, mills, sheep, maple-sugaring, and artisan communities. I don't know about the butterflies but it's along the Atlantic Migratory Bird Flyway. You'd be near Halifax, with its International Airport and Universities (must look to higher education for the wee heathens). Magnificent place. I don't know about taxes and the like, though. Weather is moderate, not severe. Would you need an extra farm hand?

Hey, Kindlee! Yup, it's maybe a little nutty on our part, but we think all the same things that you mentioned. And the taxes on the place I'm going to go look at here next week at less than a thousand dollars a year. I don't know exactly how Canada makes that work, but I'm not arguing.

Yes, we WOULD need an extra farm hand!

I don't think it sounds "nutty." It sounds like a dream worthy of the pursuit. Good luck with your fact-finding mission to Canada, next week.

Also, a few days ago, you mentioned something about it being a good thing you don't work?! I'm still incredulous. I truly believe bringing up those little ones of yours is easily the best and most challenging kind of 'work'...and it appears to me that you work quite hard.

Thanks, Kindlee. You're very kind (no pun intended). What I tell my friends is this: I've always wanted to be a Dad. Not an astronaut, doctor, ninja... Just a Dad. Okay, AND a husband. So this life for me is really easy, and doesn't feel like work at all.

A job that doesn't feel like a job because you love it so...you are very fortunate to have found your own personal passion-filled life's work.

To A Butterfly

I've watched you now a full half-hour,
Self-poised upon that yellow flower;
And, little Butterfly! indeed
I know not if you sleep or feed.
How motionless! - not frozen seas
More motionless! and then
What joy awaits you, when the breeze
Hath found you out among the trees,
And calls you forth again!

This plot of orchard-ground is ours;
My trees they are, my Sister's flowers;
Here rest your wing when they are weary;
Here lodge as in a sanctuary!
Come often to us, fear no wrong;
Sit near us on the bough!
We'll talk of sunshine and of song,
And summer days, when we were young;
Sweet childish days, that were as long
As twenty days are now.

Stay near me--do not take thy flight!
A little longer stay in sight!
Much converse do I find in thee,
Historian of my infancy!
Float near me; do not yet depart!
Dead times revive in thee:
Thou bring'st, gay creature as thou art!
A solemn image to my heart,
My father's family!

Oh! pleasant, pleasant were the days,
The time, when, in our childish plays,
My sister Emmeline and I
Together chased the butterfly!
A very hunter did I rush
Upon the prey:--with leaps and springs
I followed on from brake to bush;
But she, God love her, feared to brush
The dust from off its wings.

William Wordsworth

I think that I shall never spy

Aught lovely as a butterfly.

Nor mortal hand, nor thought, nor eye

Could grasp thy wondrous symmetry.

And yet the caterpillar worm

When it doth come unto its term

Stands forth, a marvel to behold

Ephemeral, its tale soon told.

Olivia,

lovely...as a butterfly

Papillon upon a poppy
Petaluma on a lamp
Basking in the moonlight glow
Kikepeo, wings yet damp.

And take a read of THIS:

http://www.linguistlist.org/issues/11/11-1765.html

I had a sense that every language had its own word for butterfly. Turns out I'm not the only one who noticed.

Goodness me. Jumbled the kiswahili word, samahani sana.

Papillon upon a poppy
Petaluma on a lamp
Basking in the moonlight glow
Kipepeo, wings yet damp.

Funny, though, I'd like to track the etymology of the French for butterfly to the Swahili, since they're obviously related. The prefix "ki-" is a multi-purpose prefix in Swahili, and the rest of the word "pepeo", pronounced "pay-pay-oh" is clearly enough an African version of "Papillon" from French. But East Africa was GERMAN in between being British. How'd the Frogs get in there?

Pam-Glad you're home all safe and well!

What an interesting site. 

In Japanese - choochoo

In Cantonese - woo deep

In Italian - farfalla. Which makes me think of farfalle, or bow-tie pasta. 

One of my eldest son's favorite stories was The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle..."on Wednesday, he ate through three plums - and still he was hungry..."

Thank you, Olivia. It's good to be back.

I love the Very Hungry Caterpillar. When we get to the Big List of Things He Ate, I start feeling a little jubby myself. Swiss cheese, a lollipop, a sausage, watermelon - MURP!

After Thanksgiving dinner, I felt a bit like that myself.

Well, time to crawl into my cocoon of a bed. The darned alarm clock is set for 6am. Now, I just need to find someone to read me The Very Hungry Caterpillar, as a bed-time story. Goodnight all.

Jonathan-It's Dubya's favourite too! Who knew y'all had that in common?

Pam-Italians call it farfalle because it looks like a butterfly to them. We call it bowtie because...but you already knew that, I'm sure. I'm blaming tryptophan.

Gee, can't hardly wait to get back to work tomorrow! And Christmas shopping-YAYY!

Olivia,

I did, but thank you for checking ;)

I am unreasonably susceptible to Beatrix Potter...

My proudest moment in life was when I was four years old. I crept up to a butterfly on one of the daisies in my mother's garden, I picked it up very gently, and when I let it go, it was not hurt and flew away.

One of the worst side  effects of a butterfly garden are assassin bugs. They really hurt humans and kill catepillars,but its nature.