March Butterflies!

 

A buckeye butterfly visiting the crucifer flowers.

Black swallowtail visiting the columbines.

And the plum blossoms.

The plum flowers were a big draw, tiger swallowtail & zebra swallowtail.

Tiger swallowtail appears to be laying eggs on black cherry.

The previous day, I'd researched the black cherry, learning that it was a host for them. Pretty timely!

I've just finished reading Doug Tallamy's FAQ book. Highly recommend!

One thought on the above book, Irony?

 Someone asked about wood eating bugs, asking whether they cared about native types vs exotics, and Tallamy's response included this nugget. 

"Mulberry trees have yellow interior wood, and something nasty is making it yellow. I cut down a mulberry tree 23 years ago, and most of it is still lying where it fell, not rotted or eaten!"

He seemed to think that was a negative.

Some of us grow mulberry because of it's rot resistance. 

This is a desirable attribute. I originally planted mulberry for future fence posts. 

Of course, the berries are nice to get as well.

 

The American Holly berries are finally ripe!

4 birds in pic...

The Cedar waxwings have finally decided that these holly berries are ready. The tree is so tall that I can't see the birds until after I take a picture and examine it on the computer!

The holly tree.

Not seeing the other birds yet.

With berry

Mid-flight!