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Hummingbirds are creatures of habit. They develop a regular route on their daily food excursions. Try to select flowers that bloom at different parts of the growing season in your area so that there will always be something for them to enjoy. Pick some that grow in the shade as well as in the sun. Hummingbirds need to spend time in... more »
The life cycle of the butterfly is an amazing metamorphosis. From egg to caterpillar, chrysalis formation, and finally onto metamorphosis, the transformation is a completely viewable and satisfying learning experience that can be valued by adult and child alike. You can effect this natural experience in your own backyard by choosing... more »
Hummingbirds feed on flower nectar and small insects. You can invite these tiny flyers to your yard by providing them with the food they like in natural form (from flowering shrubs) or by setting out special hummingbird feeders.
Remember to keep the hummingbird feeder filled with fresh nectar. Nectar, whether store-bought or... more »
Robert Frost (1874-1963) was an American poet. His famous poems include "Mending Wall," "The Road Not Taken" and "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening." Bring the lyrical world of Robert Frost into your garden with flowers from his poetry. more »
Expert theory claims that, in a given year, not a square meter of the U.S. or southern Canada goes unchecked by hummingbirds in their relentless quest for food. Why not invite them to your house? It's quite simple as long as you remember that a good hummingbird garden has more than just hummingbird flowers. It is a whole habitat.... more »
Hosting native plants in your garden combines natural beauty with a cost effective way to add...
Attract butterflies to your garden from spring to fall with beautiful flowers and plants. Don’t...
Organic gardening is more than just a buzz word; it’s becoming a lifestyle choice for people...
There are few things as lovely as a rose garden in bloom. Create your own fragrant oasis by...
Many North American hummingbirds migrate to Central and South America in late summer and early fall and return in the spring. These tiny birds... more »
Hummingbird mating season begins in early spring. In mid to late March, hummingbirds return to the U.S. and Canada from their southern winter... more »
Several different flowers, such as clematis, fuchsias and impatients, will naturally attract hummingbirds to your garden. However, hanging a... more »
Hummingbirds are amazing little birds that hover in midair, fly backwards and flap their wings so fast that the wings hum. You can attract these... more »
Spring, which starts around May, is the best time to see flowers in bloom. Different flowering plants form buds that fully bloom providing a... more »
Hummingbirds are a colorful sight throughout North and South America, zipping from flower to flower in gardens and in parks. When hummingbirds... more »
Many people want to attract butterflies to their yards because they're beautiful, fun to watch, and they decorate the landscape. A more practical... more »
The butterfly bush, sometimes called Buddleia or Buddleia davidii, is a handsome bush with blue, red, purple, white or lilac blossoms. This... more »
A garden full of bright, colorful flowers becomes even more beautiful when butterflies are fluttering around. Any garden can attract a few... more »
Growing your own herbs enhances not only the flavor of your meals but your life. The first step of a successful life as an herb gardener is... more »
Butterflies touch the hearts of the young and old alike and if one lands on you, you've been singled out as an especially trustworthy companion. ... more »
Hummingbird nectar is an easy and inexpensive way to bring the beautiful birds to your yard. Hummingbirds need lots of sugar in their diet and... more »
Hummingbirds are fascinating to watch as they hover over their favorite, usually red flowers in the garden on a sultry summer's day pushing their... more »
Butterflies are attracted to a rich variety of sun-loving plants that bloom over a long season. Bone up on the species common to your area and... more »
Turn your own backyard into a wildlife sanctuary by cultivating plants that attract and breed butterflies that are native to Texas. Butterflies... more »
Common milkweed is a perennial that is considered toxic and unpleasant in many areas. Milkweed has been known to drastically reduce crop yields... more »
A butterfly is an insect of the order Lepidoptera. Like all holometabolous insects, butterflies life cycle consists of four parts, egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. The diverse patterns formed by their brightly coloured wings and their erratic flight have made butterfly watching a hobby.
Butterflies comprise the true butterflies (superfamily Papilionoidea), the skippers (superfamily Hesperioidea) and the moth-butterflies (superfamily Hedyloidea). Butterflies exhibit polymorphism, mimicry and aposematism. Some migrate over long distances. Some butterflies have evolved symbiotic and parasitic relationships with social insects such as ants. Butterflies are important economically as agents of pollination. In addition, a few species are pests, because they can damage domestic crops or trees in their larval stage.
Culturally, butterflies are a popular motif in the visual and literary arts.
Lifecycle
It is a popular belief that butterflies have very short life spans. However, butterflies in their adult stage can live from a week to nearly a year depending on the species. Many species have long larval life stages while others can remain dormant in their pupal or egg stages and thereby survive winters.Powell, J. A. 1987. Records of prolonged diapause in Lepidoptera. J. Res. Lepid. 25: 83-109.
Butterflies may have one or more broods per year. The number of generations per year varies from temperate to tropical regions with tropical regions showing a trend towards multivoltinism.
Egg
Butterfly eggs consist of a hard-ridged outer layer of shell, called the chorion. This is lined with a thin coating of wax which prevents the egg from drying out before the larva has had time to fully develop. Each egg contains a number of tiny funnel-shaped openings at one end, called micropyles; the purpose of these holes is to allow sperm to enter and fertilize the egg. Butterfly and moth eggs vary greatly in size between spec read more at » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly
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