Zinnia with Lantana Bandana

This summer the flower beds have been visited by Gulf Fritilary and Skippers the most. We have also had Black Swallowtail, but they were very late this summer and we did not see them in the numbers we had last year by any stretch of the imagination. We probably had about 20 Black Swallowtail cats on our carrots and parsley. Right now we are trying to save the Gulf Fritilary cats from the ants that patrol their host plant, the Passion Flower Vine. We are still waiting for the Monarchs. We expect them any day now with them peaking mid October here in the Atlanta area. 

The flower beds have really matured this summer.

Lantana is great! It is easy and the butterflies love it, but they love Zinnias better. We will be using a lot more Zinnia next summer. It is so easy to grow from seed. You just need to be sure to water the Zinnia plants in the morning as it susceptible to mildew, especially in humid summer climates like Atlanta.

Garden Spider

Our Garden Spider is gone, but she left us with her offspring in this egg sac. She died after laying her eggs. Remember Charolette?  I read that the baby spiders will live in this sac until the weather is right for them to emerge. This one will be relocated far away from my Butterfly Garden.