Uncommonly Orange

There are very few orange wildflowers in Georgia. This is one of them…

When A Zebra Came By…

Is that…could it be… a zebra?

A Prelude To A Kiss – Mistletoe

Why do we kiss under a toxic plant?

Black and Blue: The Spicebush Swallowtail

The impossibly opulent combination of black, iridescent blue, orange, white creature seems like a gift from the fairies, or maybe a fairy itself.

Milkweeds: The Fab Five

Asclepias tuberosa – Orange Butterflyweed (photo: Donna Black) Some creatures are blessed with charisma. They are readily recognizable, and seeing even a picture of one elicits an “Awww” from the viewer. Pandas, whales, polar bears, and baby seals come to mind. Few insects have this widespread appeal, but monarch butterflies are a notable exception. By

Purple and Orange

Each year, Pantone, a company involved with all things color, publicizes a “Color of the Year.” For 2022, it was a periwinkle purple shade called “Very Peri.” Companies that manufacture everything from cars to linens and fabrics, to cosmetics scurry to create products that reflect the latest color trends. Mother Nature, however, picked out her

Great Purple Hairstreak

As a horticulturist by training, I have a drive to tidy up the landscape – remove spent flower heads, prune dead branches, and remove certain undesirable plants. When I noticed some mistletoe growing in my oak trees, I sincerely wanted to cut it out. Mistletoe (Phoradendron) is a parasitic plant, growing into the tissue of

Local Tigers

As miserable as August can be in Georgia, there is one thing I look forward to as the summer heats up: butterflies. August is the month when most, if not all, of our butterflies and moths are in the greatest abundance. There are so many I could talk about, but one that most people have

Monarchs – The Royalty of Butterflies

Last winter, there was finally some good news for the monarch butterfly – the dapper orange and black species with white polka dots on their bodies. In the winter of 2021-2022, the population numbers were up 35% over the previous year. However, they are still down 85% since the 1990s. If you’re like me, you

Wild Things – Butterfly Larval Hosts

One signature of summer in Georgia is an abundance of butterflies. For kids and adults alike, there is something magical about seeing the brightly colored “flutterbys” dancing from flower to flower or floating in the summer sun. Butterfly gardens are a popular idea for homeowners, garden clubs, and private gardens containing butterflybush, zinnias, and other