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Nabokov and His Beloved Blues ButterfliesRead the article this discussion is about
This archived discussion is "read only". « Previous 1 2 Next » » silvan - Ontario blues Well this article and discussion really got me going Naomi. Like everyone else I see "those little blue butterflies" every year, but I knew something I read last summer gave me the idea I should be on the lookout for several different species. I visited the Butterfly Website which has an archive of butterfly photos. There I found 18 species of blues, but practically no natural history, i.e. where we might find them! Some were obviously not North American, so I had to look elsewhere. I surfed through the Federation of Ontario Naturalists, and on to the Ojibway Nature Centre in Windsor, Ontario, twin city to Detroit. Ojibway has a rare tract of original tallgrass prairie, which originally coexisted with Carolinian Forest (as in North and South Carolina) in Ontario's extreme southwest. I knew Ojibway Park had an annual butterfly count, and yes, they counted two species of blue this summer. But better than that, they had a link to Butterfly Watching in Ontario, which has (and I could hardly believe my eyes) a list of butterfly species or subspecies to be found in Ontario. They are (drum roll please): Spring Azure Celastrina ladon, Summer Azure Celastrina ladon neglecta, Eastern Tailed-Blue Everes comyntos, Western Tailed-Blue Everes amyntula, Northern Blue Lycaeides idas, Silvery Blue Glaucopsyche lygdamus, and Greenish Blue Plebejus saepiolus. This looks like an excellent site, by the way, but no photo archive! So, back to the Butterfly Website, to find that only one of these seven coincides with the common names given in the photo archive: the Greenish blue. All that to find out I still don't know what I'm looking for. But if there are seven species in Ontario, I'm sure at least some of them will be found around the Midwest, and probably there is a greater species diversity in the Western States. Just like we have one species of hummingbird in Ontario compared to at least four in British Columbia. Mountains have a way of doing that to nectavores. At least we get all the good warblers out East! But it looks like this summer I'm going to be watching my feet, as well as the treetops.~Van Waffle -- posted by silvan » Naomi_Mathews - Your info was most interesting, Van... Thank you so much for stopping by! I checked out those links you so kindly provided and bookmarked them for additional future perusing. Great links! Too bad they didn't provide some photos of butterflies there -- especially those blues!It was very interesting to see how many blues were found this summer just in that area. If blues have good nectar sources, and more importantly, the right "host plants" for their caterpillars, they will survive and be able to carry on their species. Unfortunately, the "Karner" Blues are already on the endangered species list because of habitat loss. (My February article will focus on these blues.) Van, did you check out any of the links at the end of my article on the Nabokov blues? There are some great photos on some of those links, too. The link titled "Endangered Butterflies" is a brand new web site about that will feature "blues" and their endangered status. It was just barely launched yesterday and is still under construction. The homepage has some exquisite Nabokov blues pictured. The ZEMBLA site fascinating too, as well as the NABA and "Save the Pine Bush" (which is all about saving the Karner Blues' habitats.) Dr. Kurt Johnson's recently published book, "Nabokov's Blues", is wonderful and a fascinating read about the blues and the man, V. Nabokov. Yes, I'd say you will have to watch your toes this summer too -- especially to spot those "little blues!" Thanks again for the interesting post, and do visit again! -- posted by Naomi_Mathews » jerrib - Butterfly Bushes My butterfly bushes are nothing special, Naomi. Just got them at the garden store. They are a blue, but I suppose it may just be our soil, as they could easily be light purple I suspect. So I have no magic garden information. I wonder if they get their color variation from the soil like hydrangeas.I am sorry I planted them where I did, as they really get BIG. I've moved two of them, hearty souls. They do attract butterflies, just as they say. Jerri -- posted by jerrib » Naomi_Mathews - Blue Butterfly bushes and the "blues!" Hi, Jerri--I just read in one of my gardening books that the Butterfly bush (B. daviddi) -- also called "Summer Lilac" -- is available in colors of pink, lilac, purple, white, AND BLUE! So you no doubt have a blue one for sure. (-; I'm going to try to find a blue one in the spring (which I hope comes soon -- it's COLD here!), as I've been adding more blue colors to my flower beds. My hydrangeas are a wonderful pink, which I love -- so I don't alter their soil to make them blue. It's true, the Butterfly Bushes can get really big. But they don't mind being pruned back. Mine were just planted last spring and grew profusely, but I trimmed them back and shaped them a bit a couple of times until late fall. They are just now starting to die back more because of our very cold weather (10 degrees at night for several nights in a row this week). But they are very hardy, and will come back readily this spring. I'm also going to get some new milkweed plants this spring for Monarchs that I HOPE will come back this year. Last summer I saw NO Monarchs here at all. I'm getting a lot of new spring flower and seed catalogs now, and there are some gorgeous flowers available I have an eye on! I just need more space -- maybe I can talk my hubby into making me a "raised bed" this spring. He half-way promised he would last year. (-; -- posted by Naomi_Mathews » Naomi_Mathews - Debra -- how nice to see you again! And thanks for your kind comments about my Nabokov Blues article -- always appreciate them!There are so many wonderful gardens to visit here on the Suite -- one could wander for hours (more like days!) and not get through all of them! With spring coming soon (wishing it here quickly!) we'll all be busy doing some "real live" gardening, and I can't wait. Enough of snow and freezing cold weather already! Blessings to you, Debra. -- posted by Naomi_Mathews » jerrib - Thanks for the butterfly bush info, Naomi Now I must look closer at the garden shops as I plan this year's garden. I am really a beginner at identifying plants, so always love to learn new things. Guess I should get my favorite garden book out sometime and read it more! It's a Reader's Digest book and I can't get to it now - we are remodeling and have stuff piled all over as we redo floors. Soon, I hope!-- posted by jerrib » Red - Great article Naomi... I really enjoyed it and so informative. You really did a lot of research on this one and should be commended. The links are great. It is well written and informative.I have heard of butterfly bushes but have never tried to grow one. This spring, I think I will inquire at the nursery where I buy my plants and see if I can purchase one. Since I am a butterfly lover, I would really enjoy having a plant that attracts these beautiful specimens and my grandsons would love it as well. Thanks for a great column. I will be back to visit again. -- posted by Red » Red - Naomi, I enjoyed... the article just as much the second time. It is great and so educational.I listed all of your submissions to the Nature's Treasures Events under "Habitat," except for this one, which I placed under "Existing With Nature." If you have any others, please don't hesitate to submit them. Take care my friend and we will talk soon. -- posted by Red » Naomi_Mathews - Re: Naomi, I enjoyed... In response to message posted by Red:Thanks, Mary! I appreciate your kind comments, and am delighted that you stopped by again. I am honored to have some of my articles published in your great "Nature's Treasures" event. I do hope that readers everywhere will find them educational and also help them to realize how important it is to "treasure" all of Nature's wonderful things! Our world is truly fascinating -- and to think that God made "us" the stewards of all things that He created is really awesome! If we all do our part in caring for Nature now, even in a small way, we will be able to enjoy these many "treasures" and also pass them on to the generations that follow us! Your Nature's Treasures Event is going to be superb, Mary! Naomi ~~ -- posted by Naomi_Mathews « Previous 1 2 Next » Please follow the guidelines set forth in the Suite101 Posting Etiquette when adding to the discussion. |
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