I know last year was warm and things were early, and this year is cold and things are later. But NO butterflies??? It seems really odd to me.

And it's a great year for dragon- and damselflies of all colors!! I love the large black ones with the big black spots on all four wings, really stunning.

And I watched a bat last night at dusk, wheeling thru the sky over my gardens... Need to check out fireflies one of these nights, too. They are so neat!

Hope you are just late with your butterflies this year and that they will show up soon. =)

I wonder if they have been spraying for insects? They do every year, but you never know how it's going to affect things, which is why my 13 acres is pesticide free.

The dragon flies came in huge squadrons, just about on their usual day - like the swallows returning to Capistrano. They come from the direction of Lake Superior, whirl around the yard then seem to head up north to all the lakes, ponds, and bogs. Some of them are really jewel-like, iridescent red, green, blue, black. The ones Roxanna mentioned with the black & white spotted (or banded) wings are something special. When they light, you get a good picture of the wings - a patterned blur in flight - like helicopters with alternating colored rotor blades.

No hummingbirds so far. They usually show up when the true tiger lilies start to bloom.

Been such a odd spring - didn't get warm until the first of July with a fair amount of rain and fog. The lilacs just finished and the peonies are starting.

Funny you mentioned Dragonflies. Living in the city, I rarely see them, but the last couple of days I've been seeing them all over the garden. In fact, today one kept following me and dive bombing the hose I was using to water the garden. I guess he liked the water and Lord was he determined.

Kevin

Two of my butterfly bushes are in bloom, and two were cut back this spring so there are no flowers on those as yet. We have been commenting on how there are so many less butterflies this year. I think I saw my first Monarch a couple of weeks ago.

There were hummingbirds here early this year. The picture window at the front of the house has a large variegated weigela next to it, and I looked up one afternoon to see a hummingbird staring at me through the window when the weigela was in bloom! They love the red tubular flowers when that bush is in full bloom. It will now bloom off and on the rest of the summer so I will see bees and hummers on it from time to time.

I'm hoping that as the summer wears on, we will see increased numbers of bees and butterflies.

Linda

I released 6 Black Swallowtails that over-wintered as chrysalises, have already raised and released 3 other Black swallowtails, and have 11 caterpillars inside right now.

The Monarchs have not shown up yet however. They are my favorites. Monarchs are in a lot of trouble, their numbers are way down, and the drought in the middle part of North America is a factor I think.

I hope to see some soon - they can show up here in my garden in eastern Massachusetts between June and August, so I'm not panicking yet.

roxanna, is this the dragonfly you meant? Because I've been seeing them all over my garden this year.

He looks like he's waving 4 little flags!

Terrene love your efforts. My goal was to try and catch a butterfly caterpillar to raise with my girls this year. Unfortunately I thought of this a little late and didn't plant specifically for this.