The Monarch Butterfly

About two years ago a fellow Homeschooler blessed me with a butterfly bush A.K.A a Buddleia.  I brought it home with me and planted the plant in my front yard.  By the end of that autumn season it doubled in size.  I trimmed it this past spring season and the bush grew to be triple in size.  The blooms are purple and white and full of beauty.  Now that the autumn season has returned, many of the blooms have withered away.  However, there are a few flowering blooms left.  Every now and then I check the bush for  insect activity, especially for butterflies. This past  Sunday to my surprise, I found three beautiful Monarch butterflies hanging upside down and all around by their legs and sucking the nectar with their proboscis. I was so excited! Naturally, I grabbed my camera and started shooting.

Here are a few facts about this beautiful creature.

• The Monarch butterfly can be found throughout North, Central, and South America.
• Its wing span is about 4 inches long.
• The coloring of its wings warns predators of the insects bitter taste.
• Monarch butterflies gather together in the autumn months and begin their migration southward over winter.  They travel for about 1800 miles.
• When they finally reach their destination it's time to head back north.
• On the Monarchs return journey, they stop and deposit  eggs and then sadly die.
• The eggs then hatch and go through the full growing cycle until they become a butterfly and continue the journey from where their parents left off.

Monarch Butterflies are delicate, beautiful and very tough. What they are able to do in their life span is miraculous.  One of God's remarkable creatures to say the least.

American Robin

Nature can be such a mystery.  That's why I enjoy watching song birds.  If you're  still and quiet long enough they're willing to come out and share some of their secrets with you.  I know that after I've watered my lawn, American Robins will be on the lookout for those tasty earthworms.  In fact, it's almost like a thanksgiving feast for them, they find so many.

Here are a few facts about the beloved American Robin.

• American Robins are migratory song birds
• They are about 10 inches long, have a rusty color breast and are grey /brown up top.
• They feed on insects, berries, and earthworms (as you can clearly see).
• The female can lay up to six bluish green eggs in a nest made out of twigs, grass, roots, and mud.
• The female robin incubates the eggs for up to 14 days.  They then hatch and the male robin provides the food for the young ( now that's what I call team parenting).

These birds are very common and can be found anywhere you go in the spring to fall months.  They are smart and  fun to watch, but don't take my word for it, go outside and see for yourselves :o)

Leafcutter Bees

I'm back from vacationing with my family and we had a wonderful time.  We spent the last two weeks of summer in Florida.   Even though people are back at work and school has started again. I am not quite ready to give up the season of summer.  This week's blog is about Leafcutter bees. I've had this photo in my archives for a few weeks and thought that it would be a good one to share in the spirit of keeping  the summer season alive.  Here are a  few facts about Leafcutter Bees.

·         They like to build their nest in soft rotting wood or already existing cavities found in stems such as those of a rose bush.

·         They are solitary, meaning they don't share a hive with other bees.

·         They are great pollinators.  In fact, one leafcutter bee can do the job of about twenty honey bees.  Now, that's what I call hauling butt.

·         Ever wonder how  those smooth circular holes in leaves of certain plants get there?  If you said a hole puncher, not quite. Those holes come from the Leafcutter Bees. They do this for nesting purposes. They take the circular leaves and glue them together with their saliva and create individual cells for their larvae. 

  I am grateful to have seen up close and personal the many small wonders of this world that God has created.  This summer season was one of my favorite. I hate to see it go. However, I believe this fall season will  bring some beautiful camera moments as well and I look forward to sharing them with you :o)