Thursday, July 05, 2007

Tiger Swallowtail

I stepped out onto the deck

and saw the Tiger Swallowtail in the Beebalm.

I like seeing the butterflies on the herbs.
I will harvest leaves for winter teas
after the butterflies and bees are finished with the flowers.

22 comments:

Saucy said...

I like the tiger swallowtail - I think I might have one in my yard. Do they come this far north?

The French Nest said...

I saw a tiger swallowtail this afternoon at work...he came to visit me in my office. Beautiful photo, Q!

Kate

Deb said...

I love learning about all the butterflies from you Q - you are a wonderful wildlife teacher :-} & Kate is impressing co-workers by knowing names too :-}}

Naturegirl said...

Bee balm leaf tea? Tell me how!
My purple bee balm is not quite flowered however the red has! I had a swallowtail caterpiller on my parlsey last summer that I posted ...how exciting was that! P.S. I will light my way around your garden! I loved your comment on my post!hugging you NG

Tumblewords: said...

Hi Sherry! I, too, think I saw a tiger swallowtail yesterday. He flitted here the entire day, flirting with the people gathered for the celebration. Lovely! Felt like a wonderful omen. Great photos, as always!

Q said...

Dear Saucy,
The Eastern Tiger Swallowtails do indeed live in your area! Their range is as far north as northern Canada and all the way across east to west! I think they are also in P.E.I. and Nova Scotia. Some of the females are very "black" with small even-sized yellow spots on the trailing edge of their forewing.
They are beautiful!
Enjoy them.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Deb,
I love the butterflies. So glad you do too. They need us like the birds need us to provide host plants and nectar plants. Lots of the nursery plants are necterless so we have to be sure when we plant we plant viable plants. They are a favorite food for some birds so we need to plant lots of host plants!
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Kate,
Oh, how wonderful!! How nice to have a Tiger in your office. I find observing them is the best way to learn too. they are beautiful!
I do like the butterfly field guides too. Being able to identify each butterfly means I can continue to plant the best food for them.
Thanks for the photo compliment. I want to print some 8x10's and frame them and now I just cannot decide if I want a Tiger on the Beebalm or the Cone flower...
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Naturegirl,
Oh yes, Beebalm or Bergamot, is famous as a tea. It is also known as Oswego Tea. I also have the scarlet variety.
It is also called gold melissa and Indian nettle.
I dry the leaves on a screen, in the shade, on warm, rain free days. I dry quickly so they donot discolor. Usually it takes two days. If they still need more drying time I use the dehydrator just overnight. I lay the leaves in my storing jar and crumble when I am ready to use. In the winter I add them to a nice green tea leaf. Earl Grey has a bit of Bergamot in it, that is the flavor that says, "Earl Grey".
The leaves fresh can be added to salads. Some enjoy the flavor in a friut dish or apple jelly.
Parsley is a great host plant as is dill and fennel for the Black Swallowtails. They are beautiful!
Enjoy some Beebalm tea!
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Tumblewords,
I bet you saw a Western Tiger Swallowtail! It is west of the Rockies and is a frequent garden visitor in the Pacific Northwest and on into Vancouver. It is smaller than the Easter Tigers but just as beautiful!
They are a delightful visitor and good omen....
Sherry

Sprite said...

*****

Oh Sherry, the butterflies are just beautiful on the bergamot.

Lovely colors to delight the eyes!

Ahhhhhh!

Sprite

Q said...

Dear Sprite,
This morning I was thinking about what I just could not live without.
I need my herbs, I need the birds, I need the butterflies.
I do love the flowers that grow for their beauty but the herbs are my friends.
These are the days where when I look up and out I do see the butterflies. I miss them very much every winter.
I am outside now; weeding, seeding and mulching. Soon I hope I will be creating. I would like each growing space to have its herb, its vine, its water and feeder.
I would like four season color and three season food for the butterflies.
I have too many bunnies!!!
Hugs,
Sherry, who wants to create with plants, again

nina at Nature Remains. said...

I've tagged you for the Eight Random Facts meme (unless you'd rather not, that's ok, too) http://natureremains.blogspot.com/2007/07/eight-random-things.html

NM High School Sports News said...

Great pics of the tiger swallowtail. We have plenty western here in the ABQ area...but I hardly see them nectaring! They fly thru our garden and never stop! :( I saw one on a butterfly bush in an apartment complex recently. I just had to turnaround and watch it eat for a while.

PAT said...

I've enjoyed catching up with your posts this morning. Gorgeous photos, as usual!!

We had rain all weekend, then no more. When we were leaving the lake yesterday, the Bagnell Dam gates were open. We went down to the Osage banks, for a closer look. Have not seen the gates open before, in all my 60 or so years, visiting the lake. They were open, due to the flooding in Kansas! I took a photo or two;-)!

Pat
Back Porch Musings

Q said...

Dear Nina,
Thank you for thinking of me for the Eight Random Facts meme.
I shall try to do this!
The "random" part is what concerns me!
This will be fun.
Sherry

Mary C said...

Sherry - I not only love your butterfly pix and posts, but that lavender-colored bee balm is gorgeous.

Q said...

Hi abq-b-fly guy,
Welcome! You are from New Mexico, how nice. A southwest influence!
I have visited Sante Fe and Taos.
I think in your area there is a grand Hot Air Balloon event.
Looking forward to visiting your blog and learning about what visitors you have in your gardens.
I hope when I visit the Pacific Northwest this summer I will see some Western Tiger Swallowtails.
Nature is so incredible!
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Pat,
Kansas has had too much rain!
I heard some towns were flooded badly.
I have never seen the Dam gates open either. I bet that was amazing! I will pop over to see photos.
It is hot and humid, normal July weather.
Sherry

Q said...

Good Morning Mary C.
Thank you!
I do like growing herbs. The birds, bees and butterflies seem to like them too.
So useable!
Sherry

Chrissie said...

Just beautiful as always :-) Thank you for posting your butterflies :-)

Q said...

Dear Chris,
You are so welcome!
I like to post when a new to me or first time this year butterfly comes in. Sometimes a picture is so pretty I think others will enjoy it! I see the Tiger most days now and the Black Swallowtails. Many others are in the gardens.
I could post a bird every now and again, they are about too.
Glad you enjoy the butterflies.
Sherry