Okay, you'll think I am crazy for this and so did my mom until she decided to see if it was true:

It was late summer. I went to my neighborhood Lowe's to check out their "end-of-the-season" perennials. As I ventured into the shrub/bush/tree area, I was greeted with dozens upon dozens of Monarch butterflies. They were landing all over me. I could hardly see through the sea of orange.

Here, just a few feet away, were three large tables of butterfly bushes!! I just laughed as I had always been skeptical of their ability to attract Monarchs! I remember thinking that Lowes could not have paid for a better promotion than this free one from nature.

It truly was magical. I felt like a child.

I have never had much success in getting DH to take me to the aviary/butterfly house in Pittsburgh but I felt this had to run a close second!

I bought three bushes -- I dare them not to show at my house this year!!

My mom did the same thing the next day!

couldn't resist!!!!

I love butterflies!!!

Many reasons...
Many memories...


Abbie

I used to SNATCH them just before they spun
into their cocoons... It was awesome watching
them spring forth to a new life!

They are just so beautiful and fragile, and as
soon as they hatched, and crawled on my
fingers (I was a teen) - I would then take
them outside and they would then try their
wings. Sometimes I would end up with as
many as 7 to 11 of them all hatching at once.
*laughs*

And they flew away free to a flower that
attracted them.

Its sad that they have such a short life span!



I wished they could live forever and have
no known predators!

What's their life span?

I am constantly amazed at how the colors form. I mean, the various shades of blues and different hues, well, they are truly the most colorful (insect??) in nature.

I have been enjoying this thread as i am a big butterfly fan .....

I have a section of my garden designed to attract them ...lots of color and fragrance, and I keep the herb garden there too for added attraction



my son once bought this Butterfly Alphabet poster at a school bookfair...the guy spent years photographing butterfly wings to get all the letters and the numbers too

Melody

Click on one of the links provided by either myself of B2 that takes you to the Butterfly Gardens and you will find all the information you ever wanted to know about Butterflies...

That's incredible!!!!!! The garden is lovely too, but the wings are amazing!

I have a porch that is three sides in windows w/screens. I jokingly call it my glass house, but I think I might make it a butterfly garden if we ever see another summer in MI. That would be so cool. Do butterflies poo very much?

Chemar, that's the most amazing poster I have ever seen. Do you mean, the letters are actually butterfly wings??

That is astounding.

Hi Mel
yes, the letters are found in the markings on the wings. My son got the book with the poster and that has the photos of the whole butterfly so one sees the wings fully in context as opposed to just the enlargements that make up the poster.

cool isnt it!