Painted Lady Butterfly (Vanessa cardui) in my backyard, September 2019. These beautiful Butterflies migrate south for the winter, the next generation returning north in the spring. They are found worldwide, performing this north-south migration around the globe. . . For more fascinating natural history and facts be sure to check out @fieldguidespodcast ! I have just posted a review of this amazing podcast on my blog at norfolknaturalist.ca! . . . . . . . #nature #ontario #paintedladybutterfly #vanessacardui #migratorybutterfly #butterfly_photo #butterfliesofig #backyardbutterflies #natureinthecity #natureinfocus #fieldguidespodcast #podcastreview #norfolknaturalist #blognorfolk #norfolkwild (at Simcoe, Ontario) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTwdXjertUH/?utm_medium=tumblr

Left this female on some strawflowers to start from and hope she gets some good air time before the rain. 5 out of 10 Male - Big yellow markings and small blue markings on the wings. Female - Small yellow markings and big blue markings on the wings. ~ #blackswallowtail #butterflies #backyardbutterflies #wildlife #nature #strawflower https://www.instagram.com/p/CEo3OLvlrcu/?igshid=ve4dznahse2w

Fresh baby monarch, and one on the way! 🐛🦋 #backyardbutterflies #monarchbutterfly #cocooning https://www.instagram.com/p/COEJfCQBm_I/?igshid=lvd6imq58z2g

(With a 25 sec. video.) As I walk down to the road with a letter for the mailbox, I figured I’d have a “Butterfly on the Rocks” to start with. This #redspottedpurple gave me quite a showing. The red spots are generally on the underside. #butterfly #backyardbutterflies #berkeleycountywv #northmountain foothills. https://www.instagram.com/p/CEpaYWSF8ae/?igshid=1lv7xio7isdg

I chased a butterfly today #backyardbutterfly #bluebutterfly #prettybutterfly #flutterbybutterfly #nature #foundinnature (at Ridley Park, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1UusgCHzbc/?igshid=eqww4dkidokn

An eager male who flew off from the black-eyed susan's right after his photo shoot. I managed to capture his hatching process. I have to trim up the video and such so hopefully I can get it up later today. 4 out of 10 Male - Big yellow markings and small blue markings on the wings. Female - Small yellow markings and big blue markings on the wings. ~ #blackswallowtail #butterflies #backyardbutterflies #wildlife #nature #blackeyedsusan https://www.instagram.com/p/CEmaYh5FXbc/?igshid=sft49l3xhjdw

Another one hatched, this one hatched around midnight last night. I left this male on some geraniums. 3 out of 10 ~ #blackswallowtail #butterflies #backyardbutterflies #wildlife #nature #geraniums https://www.instagram.com/p/CEju3EMlQoT/?igshid=1qag97skmqr38

A surprise waited for me when I woke up this morning. Left this female on some petunias. 2 out of 10 Male - Big yellow markings and small blue markings on the wings. Female - Small yellow markings and big blue markings on the wings. ~ #blackswallowtail #butterflies #backyardbutterflies #freedom #wildlife #nature https://www.instagram.com/p/CEhJCYdln71/?igshid=m99qr89w4iv0

The first Black Swallowtail has arrived! The first of many to come. This one was a male and I left him on some purple cone flowers to start his journey from. Male - Big yellow markings and small blue markings on the wings. Female - Small yellow markings and big blue markings on the wings. ~ #blackswallowtail #butterflies #backyardbutterflies #freedom #wildlife #nature #purpleconeflower https://www.instagram.com/p/CEfIrO_FCE6/?igshid=ujmorq4ok9js

All of my caterpillars are now in their chrysalis form and soon will become the Black Swallowtail butterfly. It'll be quite crowded if multiple hatch at once lol To make it easier on the butterflies during hatching I suspended all the sticks so all 10 have lots of room underneath for stretching their wings and such. As some had created their chrysalis close the floor or the wall. Butterflies need the room so I helped them out in getting the room they need. Now we wait... ~ #butterflies #caterpillars #blackswallowtail #chrysalis #backyardbutterflies #waitinggame https://www.instagram.com/p/CESgi_XlQjV/?igshid=nisdii4kj40t

So last week I made a discovery of noticing my mom's dill plant being alive with caterpillars, Black Swallowtails to be exact and not just one or two on there... but 10!! I was not expecting them nor did mom think she planted it to attract them lol But I brought them in to take care of from the harsh heat and sun rays we've been having for quiet awhile. (Plus there is only one dill plant and no other food they like nearby, so not enough for 10) I haven't took care of these guys before, mainly just Monarchs as they're easy to find here with there being a large area of milk weed at the farm. But this was a nice change to experience, maybe there will more again next year lol (I didn't post about these guys earlier on as I wasn't sure if I got them in time before the heat affected them and then afterwards I forgot to post about them when I knew they were fine lol) - Discovered late day Aug. 13th (temp cooling down for the night), rescued the next day from the harsh heat and sun rays. ~ #caterpillars #blackswallowtail #butterflies #dill #garden #backyardbutterflies #somany https://www.instagram.com/p/CEMwzd2lAri/?igshid=wmw50kpj1z6p