One day while Leecy and I were investigating the property looking for Deer horns (Leecy just corrected me, they’re called antlers.  Obviously I’m not a hunter), Leecy spotted these 2 Pipevine Caterpillars on these dry blades of grass.  This was a little unexpected because we didn’t see any Pipevine plants in the field, but there were lots and lots of Pipevine Butterflies flying around (probably the most prevalent Butterfly we saw).

Pipevine Swallowtail Caterpillars Found At Country Inn And Cottages

On Wednesday I had a little work to do (I know, I’m supposed to be on vacation) so while Leecy went horseback riding (more on that in another post), and I had a little time to kill, I decided to roam the 200 or so acres around the Cottages looking for Butterflies.  Overall the Wildflowers are pretty limited anywhere in the Texas Hill Country, but I did find a little place out in the field that had some yellow Wildflowers growing.  That turned out to be the best place to find a variety of Butterflies.

There were Painted Lady Butterflies,

Painted Lady Butterfly Found At Country Inn And Cottages

Variegated Fritillary Butterflies,

Variegated Fritillary Butterfly Found At Country Inn And Cottages

Queen Butterflies,

Queen Butterfly Found At Country Inn And Cottages

and many other smaller Butterflies that I wasn’t quick (or patient) enough to get pictures of.

One of the most unusual Butterflies (for me) I saw was a Goatweed Leafwing Butterfly.  You may not be able to see this from the web, but if you look on that blade of grass (or Goatweed I guess) towards the bottom, you will see a small Caterpillar.  Obviously I didn’t notice this until I got back to the Cottage to examine the pictures.  This is not a Butterfly I would expect to see in my backyard.

Goatweed Leafwing Butterfly With Caterpillar

We also saw some Monarch Butterflies and I wish I would have brought my Milkweed book as I’m sure there were varieties of Milkweed out in these fields that I’m just not accustomed to seeing.

We’ve also had a female Monarch in the garden and she and the Queen try and chase each other away from the Milkweed plants they are on.

Female Queen Butterfly Getting Nectar From Milkweed

Female Queen Butterfly Getting Nectar From Milkweed Wings Spread

Female Queen Butterfly Getting Nectar From Pink Butterfly Bush

L called me today at work today and said that the chrysalis in the house probably will hatch today, so check it when I got home.  So, when I got home, I looked at the container & YEP it did hatch. SO I did my normal routine lately, grab my camera, grab the monarch tags and tracking page. Took a few pics. This was our first MALE raised in captivity.

Tagged Male Monarch NGC 409

I opened the back door and he just fluttered away,,, and I did what i do every time I release a butterfly… wave goodbye and say “good luck.” *smile*

I take the monarch tags, tracking list, camera and net with me to feed the fish in the pond. I ask Sascha (German Shepherd) if she sees any butterflies.  I start to water the new flower gardens and some wilted milkweed and I thought I saw a queen… I tried to watch where it fluttered to  but it went over the bamboo into woods behind us.  All of a sudden…. I see MONARCH!!!!  SWOOP… caught her…  quick tag… DANG… camera over on table… uh oh… she got out of my hand…lucky for me she stuck around our milkweed so I was able to snap a couple photos of her. (don’t know if L thought any of my photos were good enough –I’m still learning settings on my camera.

So back to my watering… I watered the citrus trees & the plants L brought back from Fredericksburg… and there it was… THE QUEEN!!! So, throw down the hose, run for my camera… (no tags because its NOT a Monarch). SNAP SNAP SNAP SNAP…. play around a little bit with my settings on my camera (not that I know what I was changing)… and I just LOVED watching the Queen…. it’s my MOST FAVORITE butterfly. *BIG SMILE*

Male Queen Butterfly Taken By Leecy

Since the weather was nice (a bit humid ), I figured I’d sit outside & work on some crafts & let the dogs get some fresh air. As I was zoned into my crafts, I see something fly by…yes there are a few gigantic dragonflies flying around the yard, but  …it was … a MONARCH!!!! … EEEKKKK ,…run back in the house to get all the ‘gear’… I tried to see if it was one I tagged earlier… couldn’t see so ..SWOOP… caught it.   Not previously tagged.  so I tagged her and grabbed this last photo.

Tagged Female Monarch NGC 411

I watched 6 butterflies today float around the yard so carefree and peaceful. I was so zoned into them and felt like I was in their world. I had so many smiles because all of them it made any bad thoughts or times i had today just vanish.

p.s. watch for me on Ellen in the section called “Bad Paid for Photos”…I’ll be the one with the 8ft flamingo.

I already shared pictures of multiple Queen Butterflies feeding on the Blue Mistflower, but in going through my pictures from the week, I found this particular photo of one Queen Butterfly.

Something struck me about this picture.  I assumed that this Butterfly was just resting on the plant, since it didn’t look like it was flowering.  However, you can clearly see that the Butterfly does appear to be getting nectar from this plant (or at least trying to).  I’ll need to do some research to find out the nectar qualities of this plant.

Queen Butterfly On Blue Mistflower

This is a Queen Butterfly on a Yellow Wildflower.  This one is a Male Butterfly.

Queen Butterfly On Yellow Wildflower

Obviously (based on the title) this is yet another Queen Butterfly, this one on a Pink Wildflower.

Queen Butterfly On Pink Wildflower

Update.  This blue plant is called “Blue Mistflower” (Conoclinium Coelestinum) and although it is a Butterfly and Bee magnet, it can grow quickly and become a pest (according to Wildflower.org)

Queen Butterflies In Flight

Well, I got lucky!  These might be some of my most favorite pictures I’ve ever taken.

This is a Queen Butterfly, in flight, in the Wildflowers.  You also might notice the Carpenter Bee in the lower right hand corner

Queen Butterfly In Flight Through Wildflowers

So, out of all these Queen Butterflies, I managed to capture my first picture of Queen Butterflies mating.

Queen Butterflies Mating In Tree

You may also notice all the Aphids on the Milkweed.  I’ve tried spraying them and wiping them off by hand.  I’m just learning to live with them for now.

First Queen Butterfly Of 2010

On another note, Leecy and I were letting the dogs out for their final potty break of the night and I noticed a small pair of golden eyes staring back at me.  I grabbed the flashlight and starting walking towards the eyes.  I expected a small Raccoon, but as I got closer, it was definitely not a Raccoon.  It was a baby Skunk!

Luckily I noticed those eyes before I let the dogs out, as Sascha (German Shepherd) has a great nose for wild animals.  She’s been the one who has found most of the Raccoons, Mice, injured Birds, etc.  I can only imagine what would have happened if she would have scented that Skunk!  She wouldn’t have hurt it, but she almost definitely would have stunk.

This first shot is just a partial view of the Reservoir.  If you look really close you can see some guy in a boat, but other than that the place was deserted.

Sheldon Reservoir

One particular Butterfly that I don’t have in my backyard, but that was prevalent at this place was the Common Buckeye.

Common Buckeye Sheldon Reservoir

Common Buckeye Sheldon Reservoir 2

I also saw a Queen Butterfly.

Queen Butterfly In Morning Light

There were also a few Monarchs on the Ragweed.  This first photo is a female Monarch.

Monarch On Ragweed

And here’s a male Monarch.

Male Monarch On Ragweed

Last, but not least, there were quite a few Gulf Fritillaries.  All of the Butterflies were still trying to warm up when I captured these pictures.

Gulf Fritillary Sheldon Reservoir

Two Monarch Caterpillars With 7D

Larger size of a different Monarch Caterpillar.

Up Close Monarch Caterpillar With 7D

And here’s the Queen Caterpillar

Queen Caterpillar With 7D

Here’s a Queen Butterfly sipping nectar on a Purple Coneflower.

Here’s another shot

I didn’t particularly care for this shot, but Leecy thought it looked “creative.”

Notice how the male Queen Butterfly has those 2 dark spots at the bottom of his wings, just like the Monarch?