Butterfly Encounters

05/20/2024

Asclepias cryptoceras
Reno, NV
5.19.2024

12/11/2022

06/27/2022

Asclepias adventure today on the Sonora Pass in California. 😄 So much A. cordifolia in bloom today and found plants just over 7,000 feet in elevation, wow!

04/06/2022

Visited a large population of Woolly Milkweed (Asclepias vestita) today, just northwest of San Benito and at 1,300’ in elevation. The 30+ plants were at various stages, from just breaking dormancy, to plants in full bud with some open blooms. Here are some photos so you can get an idea of the habitat that this species thrives in. This population is on a very slight slope, almost flat, with an eastern exposure. Enjoy! 😊

03/06/2022

California Milkweed, Asclepias californica, in full bloom on Mt. Diablo!

01/23/2022

Looking forward to seeing the early season California Milkweed (Asclepias californica) starting to break dormancy in the coming weeks on the exposed slopes of Mt. Diablo that get warmed up by the afternoon sun.

07/11/2020

My second umbel of Asclepias barjoniifolia. That Verbena bonariensis in the foreground, that color combo! 💕 😊

06/29/2020

This Anise Swallowtail just stopped by to take some nectar from my Verbena bonariensis. 😊

05/30/2020

Asclepias speciosa ‘Davis’. Photographed in Davis, California in June of 2009.

05/22/2020

This happened today. 😊 A California Pipevine Swallowtail that I released earlier this week came to visit my Asclepias barjoniifolia this morning! 💕 And wow does this milkweed species from Bolivia have a wonderful fragrance with tons of nectar, almost dripping from the blooms.

05/19/2020

This! 💕Asclepias barjoniifolia. Beautiful! 😊

05/03/2020

This 2nd year Asclepias californica in a 5 gallon container seems to be responding well to taking water from a water filled tray once to twice a week. I let the pot soak for 5 - 10 minutes and make a judgement based on weight that just the bottom 1/4 to 1/3 of the soil is wet. This species is very temperamental about the top of its root structure getting wet after the spring rains have stopped. This will be a balance of maintaining moisture at the bottom of the bottom, versus too much salt build up as a result of this watering method. Top down watering actually flushes any salt buildup that can occur from bottom watering. Hoping that annual rains will take care of the salt flushing. Lots of experimenting do with this species!!