Fascination with Butterflies

Apparently, MG's aren't the only ones fascinated with our winged friends:




And how lucky is this fellow?

It looks like a hummingbird, sounds like a hummingbird, and acts like a hummingbird. . .

. . . surely it must be a hummingbird?

I was new to gardening and was amazed by these hummingbirds as they danced from flower to flower.  They hover themselves in front of a flower while they unfurled their long tongues to sip nectar...just like a hummingbird.  Why they even make a "hum"...just  like a hummingbird.  But why do they have antennae?  Alas,  I was soon to find out it was not a hummingbird at all, but a Clearwing Hummingbird Moth, a gardener's pollinating friend. 

Clearwing Hummingbird Moth 

According to the US Forest Service, these day-flying moths are widespread in North America. In the Old World, there are several species of hummingbird moths. Some of these species are closely related and all belong to the same genus, Hemaris. The British prefer to call them Bee Hawk-Moths. There are four species of hummingbird moths in North America. The most familiar ones are the Snowberry Clearwing (Hemaris diffinis) and the Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thysbe). They are both widespread throughout North America, with the former perhaps being more abundant in the west and the latter in the east. Like the majority of moths and butterflies, the adult hummingbird moths feed on nectar from a variety of flowers, but their larvae need more specific food plants, such as several species of honeysuckle, dogbane, or some members of the rose family such as hawthorn, cherries, and plums.

Clearwing attempting to get that last drop of nectar

The adults may start flying in early spring, when the bluebells (Mer- tensia) are still blooming; but you will have a better chance to see them when they are most active, in the summer when the bee balms are in bloom. If you have phlox (Phlox), beebalm (Monarda), honeysuckle (Lonicera) or verbena (Verbena) you are also likely to see these wonderful insects visiting these flowers.

Polyphemus Moth - Antheraea polyphemus

Nancy Miller sent this picture, taken on the porch floor of her daughter's home.  Nancy says, "It was so beautiful I wanted to bring it home with me."

The Polyphemus Moth is probably the commonest giant silk moth. It was named after the one-eyed giant Polyphemus of Greek mythology because of the large eyespots on its hindwings. The accordion-shaped larva feeds on a variety of trees and shrubs, especially on oak, hickory, elm, maple, and birch. The rounded, tough, parchment-like cocoon is found hanging on the food plant.  Full-grown polyphemus moth caterpillars are nearly 3 inches long and are bright green with a brown head. On each angular body segment are six yellow-orange tubercles with small bristles. On most abdominal segments a yellow line runs through the brown spiracle and connects the first and second tubercles found on each side of the body.  The Polyphemus Moth was University of Maryland Entomologist, Dr. Raupp's, Bug of the Week on July 14, 2008.  He had this to say about the eyespots on the wings:

Scientists believe that these eyespots aid in defense of insects and other animals in several ways. Eyespots may resemble the eyes of a potential predator’s own predators.  Moths and butterflies are tasty fare for many birds, but in turn, birds are meals for larger winged predators such as owls. Eyespots and color patterns on the wings of some moths resemble the face of an owl. Imagine the terror of a bird about to eat what appears to be a harmless moth, when suddenly the hungry bird confronts the face of an owl. A second way that eyespots may aid in defense is to direct an attack away from vulnerable parts of the body. Some predators attack the head of the victim where maximum damage results. False eyespots on less critical parts of the body such as wings may steer a first strike away from a lethal spot and provide time for the intended prey to escape.

Although a single individual can consume relatively large amounts of foliage, their numbers rarely reach levels that would warrant control.

Nancy also sends along this picture of a Tiger Swallowtail, with the caption: "Tattered and torn but still beautiful. So sad, such a short life span."

Forest Stewardship Tour

Franklin County Cooperative Extension Environmental Educator, George Hurd, announces a Forest Stewardship Tour of fellow Master Gardener Nancy and Larry Miller's property, managed by fellow Master Gardener and retired forester, Lionel Lemery:

Your forest can offer many benefits, including financial, environmental, aesthetic, and recreational resources. If you are a forest landowner, you should have a forest stewardship plan that organizes your personal objectives into a comprehensive strategy for attaining what you want from your woods. A forest stewardship plan is your road map to responsible forestry. It is a guide that tells you what your resources are, what condition they are in, and what can be done to help you achieve your goals. It considers your short and long term objectives; analyzes the capabilities, limitations, and unique features of your land; looks at how your land fits into the surrounding landscape; and evaluates a wide range of the environmental and financial benefits and consequences.

On Saturday, September 11th, the Cumberland Woodland Owners Association is sponsoring a Forest Stewardship Woodlot Tour to educate woodland owners about how a Forest Stewardship Plan is developed and implemented. A consulting forester and PA DCNR Bureau of Forestry staff will lead the tour through a private woodlot near Chambersburg. You do not have to be a member of the association and there is no cost to attend.

The tour will be of a privately owned 34 acre wooded property that includes a 3 acre pond and 2.5 acres of former agricultural fields. Approximately 27 acres are in mixed oak-hickory hardwoods. Timber stand improvement harvest, farm field conversion to woodlot, wildlife habitat management, recreational trail construction, property boundary marking, control of invasive species, removal of manmade structures, road improvement, pond management and cost share programs are some of the conservation practices that you will see on the tour.

The woodlot Tour will start on Saturday, September 11th at 1:00 PM. To get to the woodlot from Chambersburg, take Route 30 west (Lincoln Way West) to PA Rt. 995(Warm Spring Road). Turn left at the red light on to Rt. 995 (Warm Springs Road) and then travel 2.8 miles. After passing mailbox # 1592, the next dirt lane on the left is the access road to woodlot. There is a 6 ft tall blue and white real estate sign opposite access road. Look for signs. Wear appropriate clothing for outdoors including hiking boots. Bring raingear in case weather is marginal. For more information about the tour, contact Penn State Cooperative Extension at 263-9226. If severe weather is threatening on the day of the event, call 717/262-0083 for information.

The Cumberland Woodland Owners Association is an organization of forestland owners and others interested in forestry issues in south central Pennsylvania. For more information about the Cumberland Woodland Owners Association, contact Fred Peabody at 717/776-3565 (email: fredp5@earthlink.net).

Naked Ladies Show Off Their Assets

Lycoris squamigera just started blooming this week in my landscape. Other common names include surprise lily, resurrection lily, and magic lily. Their common name in Florida, hurricane lily, results from their blooming period coinciding with the height of the hurricane season. The reason for the other common names is apparent to any who have grown them.

After sending up a dense bunch of daffodil-like leaves early in Spring (in fact, my first season here in 1998, that's what I thought they were), they die back and disappear, only to re-emerge, seemingly overnight, in all their nekkid glory in mid-summer.

The fragrant pale lavender blooms sit atop a bare 2-3 foot stem. They are in the same Amaryllis family as daffodils, and like their narcissus cousins, are poisonous, and therefore deer and critter resistant. According to this University of Florida fact sheet:

Lycoris species have long been used as garden flowers in their native habitats of China and Japan, particularly around temples, graveyards and cultivated fields. One common name in China can be translated as “stone garlic” and another mentions the legendary Chinese ghost-catcher, Chung Kwei. The first name refers to the onion-like bulbs and the second to the poisonous components in Lycoris that would allow Chung Kwei to easily capture the ghost of any hapless bulb-eater mistaking it for garlic.

Bulbs of all Lycoris species contain the alkaloid poison, lycorine, which causes vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions and sometimes death in humans and other animals. Although Lycoris bulbs are considered to have low toxicity, homeowners should be aware of the poisonous potential of hurricane lilies, particularly if small children and pets are present. On the other hand, this poisonous component has the benefit of making hurricane lilies resistant to damage from deer and rodents. The Japanese exploited this poisonous aspect of Lycoris species by planting them along the edges of rice paddies, presumably to discourage mice.

Another alkaloid component is galantamine, which is used in medications to treat Alzheimers-type dementia. Lycoris is being grown in plantations in China for mass harvest to extract this compound.

The literature recommends dividing the bulbs every 3-5 years and the best time to do that is early summer during their dormant period after the leaves have died down, but before blooming. They're a difficult sell to folks unfamiliar with them, since their Spring foliage is pretty ragged at plant sale time, but since they bloom in the middle of summer when many garden flowers are spent, and before the fall blooming ones open, they provide a welcome splash of color in the home landscape.

Titillating Tithonia

I stumbled upon Tithonia, commonly known as
Mexican Sunflower, in 1997.

Although reds, oranges and yellows are my least favorite

colors in clothing, I do love them so in my garden.

I was so impressed by the vivid color, I decided to grow it in

my flower beds at my house in Chester county.

After selling the house, and moving to Franklin county,
I forgot all about it until last year when a fellow master gardener
asked if I would like some for the Pollinator Demonstration Garden.

My love was rekindled.

This spring, I paid the Amish to grow a pack of seeds

I purchased at Walmart.

And for a few dollars, I had myself a whole flat of Tithonia.

I remembered to pay back that fellow master gardener

with a few plants,

shared a few more with other friends

and put the remainder in my flower beds.

I knew they would look great growing in amongst the Russian Sage.

And they do.

These photos were taken by my husband and myself.

Some, from the comfort of our living room.

I had the foresight to plant some of these right in front of our

bow window in the living room.

We get to enjoy all of the activity three feet away inside our home.

And thank goodness for that.

The heat has been just brutal this summer.

As you can see, the butterflies love this stuff as much as I do.

It makes a wonderful landing platform for them.

Where they can do their little butterfly jig.

Honest. Watch them closely and long enough.

You will see for yourself how they move their legs

as if they are doing a little dance.

The bumble bees love it as well.

Yet I don't see too many honey bees on this.

They are busy buzzing around on the Russian Sage next door.

The hummingbirds love it too.

Yet those little suckers have been far too fast to capture on film.

Because some of these photos were taken from inside the house,

they may not be the best quality.

But I think you get the idea.

As you can see, there's something irresistable about this plant.

It is my hope that with the help of my little friends here,

I have enchanted you and you are now as much in love

with the Mexican Sunflower as we are.

You are now leaving Tithonia Town.

Please come back to see us again real soon!

Victory Garden Harvest Time

I brought my camera to today's Victory Garden class.  It was also food day, wherein we enjoyed a potluck meal, with everyone contributing a dish that hopefully used the fresh produce we've been harvesting the last few weeks.  The perks that come with volunteering for the Master Gardener Program are among the best!

Corn, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes, and Zukes

Beans and Swiss Chard

Cucumbers, Patty Pans, 8-Ball Zukes, and Yellow Squash

Not Seen:  Peppers, Bell and Jalapeno, Eggplants, Beets, and the Red and White Potatoes we dug.  Last week we harvested the onions.  Plenty of basil and parsley, too.

What you get to take home, if you come to the class!  Sign up in the Spring of 2011.

Darl and Donna, VG Leaders supervising potato digging.

Class members

MG Linda H.

Tomato and Pepper Harvest

Tomato and pepper harvest coming in.  Tomatoes:  Maglia Rosa, Black Krim, Purple Calabash, Aviuri (Red Zebra), Golden Mama, Brandyboy, Ceylon, Sun Golds, Black Plum, Stupice, Yellow BrandyMaster, Black Zebra, and Tiger Tom.  Big Daddy yellow marconi pepper, Paprika pepper, Holy Mole, Hot Hinkel Hatz, Fish Pepper, and a Yellow Bell.  Yum!

The Little Guys

Fiery Skipper

Until I started photo- graphing butter- flies, I never realized there were so many different ones in my garden.  Sure I was always impressed with the swallowtails and monarchs, but the little guys are every bit as impressive.   I had to wait patiently for this Fiery Skipper which wasn't too easy for me to do on such a hot day.  But finally I was able to get a shot.  As usual, the Fiery Skipper and the Pearl Crescent, information are from my favorite butterfly site, Gardens with Wings.

Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus)

The most interesting visual aspect of the Fiery Skipper butterfly is the small size of the wings compared to the body. Extremely short antennae are also characteristic of this butterfly. Despite the small appendages, the Fiery Skipper is the hot rod of the garden. When beating quickly, the orange and brown wings of this butterfly appear like flames flickering in a campfire. The large eyes will captivate you. A male normally has orange wings with dark spots while the female’s wings are dark brown with orange spots. This nimble butterfly will blaze a path in any garden and light up your day.

Family: Skipper (Hesperiidae)
Subfamily: Grass Skipper (Hesperiinae)
Average Wingspan: 1 1/4" - 1 1/2"
Habitat: Open areas

Plants That Attract This Butterfly

• Nectar Plants
  Aster, Ironweed, Tall Verbena, Common Milkweed, Woodland Stonecrop
• Host Plants
  Kentucky Bluegrass, Bermuda Grass*

Pearl Crescent

And then one of my favorite "miniature" butterflies, a Pearl Crescent, came around. After reading the infor- mation on the Pearl Crescent, he's move right up there into the "pretty dern impressive" category.

Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)

This small wonder is simply astounding. It is one of the more common butterflies visiting open, sunny areas in North America. It gets its name from a pearl colored crescent shape on the underside of its hind wing, outlined in black. This butterfly can be hard to identify because it resembles several other butterflies and because the overall pattern on its wings can differ geographically and can change depending on the seasons. The cooler season of this butterfly usually has more markings and is a darker orange. The Pearl Crescent is also amazing because in some regions of Northern America it flies year round and in other regions it overwinters as a caterpillar. The caterpillar will stop eating and enter diapause, a pause in the growth and development until the weather is more favorable. When the weather warms again, it will continue to eat and grow. The female can be identified by its pointed abdomen, while the males have a blunt shaped abdomen. The male’s antennae are also orange on the upper side with black on the underside. The amazing color and pattern changes will be a natural phenomenon you will enjoy observing in your garden.

Family: Brush-footed Butterfly (Nymphalidae)
Subfamily: True Brushfoot (Nymphalinae)
Average Wingspan: 1 1/4" - 1 3/4"
Habitat: Open grassy areas, fields, woods, pastures

Plants That Attract This Butterfly

• Nectar Plants
  Aster, Swamp Milkweed , Tall Verbena, Zinnia
• Host Plants
  Aster

Strong Women Classes Forming

To register: Click on the picture, print out the form, fill it in, and send to Penn State Cooperative Extension, 181 Franklin Farm Lane, Chambersburg, PA  17202, or FAX to 263-9228

My colleague, Mary Ann Oyler, Cooperative Extension Educator for Family and Consumer Sciences announces the Fall schedule for the Strong Women Program in Franklin County. Originally developed by Dr. Miriam Nelson, a professor at Tufts University in Boston, the Strong Women Program provides twice a week sessions for a period of six weeks.

This research based program is designed to help increase strength, bone density, balance and energy. Not designed as a weight reduction program, the strength-training exercises promote proper body awareness, positioning, flexibility and posture and have been proven to reduce the risk for osteoporosis and related fractures.

Barbara Benzaquen and Theresa Lopez do arm curls during the Strong Women strength-training program at Espanola’s Lucero Recreation Center from a similar program sponsored by New Mexico State University in Rio Arriba County, NM.

Designed for women 40 and older, it is intended to keep participants mobile and independent longer and to improve the quality of life as we age. Past participants locally have ranged in age from 43 to 88 years old.

The program also has a nutrition component, providing basic information on subjects such as Whole Grains, Vitamin D, Calcium Rich Eating, Omega Fatty Acids, etc. Participants often share healthy recipes with each other. Classes are conducted by Penn State Cooperative Extension trained instructors who also fit the age guidelines for the program.

American women over age 65 have a 50 percent chance of suffering from osteoporosis and the lifetime risk of fractures in women older than 50 years is nearly 40 percent. Helping to maintain bone mass and reducing the likelihood of a fracture is done through weight bearing exercises, whereby participants use hand held weights and ankle weights to perform simple exercises. All exercises are done from a sitting or standing position. Classes start with simple stretching and proceed with the exercises, concluding with cool down movements.

Classes take one hour, meet twice a week, and run for six weeks. The cost is $45.00 for the whole six week session (12 classes). Pre-registration is preferred but potential participants are welcome to attend the first session to determine if the class is a good fit for them.

Cooperative Extension is offering Strong Women classes at various locations throughout the county.

Chambersburg: Classes will be from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning August 31, 2010 at Fourth St. Church of the Brethren, 260 South 4th Street, Chambersburg

Chambersburg: Classes will be from 5:45 to 6:45 p.m., Mondays and Wednesdays beginning September 13, 2010 at The Penn State Extension Office, 181 Franklin Farm Lane, Chambersburg

Fayetteville: Classes will be held from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., Mondays and Wednesdays beginning August 30, 2010 at New Guilford Brethren In Christ Church, 1575 Mont Alto Road, Fayetteville

Shippensburg: Classes will be held from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning August 31, 2010 at Memorial Lutheran Church, 34 East Orange Street, Shippensburg

Waynesboro: Classes will be held from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning August 31, 2010 at Faith United Methodist Church, Waynesboro

Mercersburg: Classes will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning August 31, 2010 at First United Methodist Church, Mercersburg

Mercersburg: Classes will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning August 31, 2010 at First United Methodist Church, Mercersburg

Greencastle: Classes will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning October 12, 2010 at Evangelical Lutheran Church, Greencastle

For additional information, please contact Mary Ann Oyler or the support staff at Penn State Cooperative Extension in Chambersburg, 263-9226 Ext. 229.

You can click on the brochure picture at the beginning of this post, print it, and register by filling in the information and sending it in to Penn State Cooperative Extension at 181 Franklin Farm Lane, Chambersburg, PA 17202.

2010 Garden Tour

Save the Date - Sunday, September 19, 2010 Noon to 5:00 PM!










This year's tour showcases 10 gardens in 6 Chambersburg neighborhoods. Four of the gardens belong to our own Master Gardeners.

The tour offers a well-rounded display of visually appealing gardens representing a range of simple to complex landscape structures.
Visitors will gain insights into companion planting, turf management, garden accenting, and maintenance of wildlife habitats.

Tickets are available through Franklin County Cooperative Extension as well as select local nurseries and florists.

Today's Catch . . . Silver-Spotted Skipper

Click twice on the photograph to see amazing detail.

Today's star is the Silver-Spotted Skipper.  He was difficult to photograph as he "skipped" around so much.  After several feeble attempts I was able to capture a very interesting shot.   The following information on the Silver-Spotted Skipper is taken from Gardens With Wings.

Skippers resemble a combination of butterflies and moths. They are a dull, dark color yet fly during the day. They have knobbed antennae, but with a little point at the end. They are fast, intense fliers and look as if they skip from flower to flower. The Silver-spotted Skipper prefers almost any color of flower except yellow. These interesting creatures can be found in almost the entire United States, and are welcome visitors to any butterfly garden.

Family: Skipper (Hesperiidae)
Subfamily: Spread-wing Skipper (Pyrginae)
Average Wingspan: 1 3/4" - 2 1/2"
Habitat: Meadows, streams, suburbs 

Plants That Attract This Butterfly

• Nectar Plants
  Blazing Stars, Buttonbush, Common Milkweed
• Host Plants
  False Indigo

Another Martha ...

After reading this blog post and watching the PodChef video, Angela was inspired to create this decorative hard neck garlic bunch.  Unfortunately, she had already cut off the tops of the soft neck ones she grew, so the braid is a goal for next year.

Monarch Monday

The Monarchs were active in the garden today.  This butterfly seemed to enjoy my Limelight Hydrangeas.  The Monarch butterfly information is taken from Gardens With Wings.

Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

This spectacular species is one of the most popular and distinguished butterflies. It is a bright shade of brownish red to orange and is complimented by brown or black outlining the wings and highlighting the veins. The Monarch is one of the longest lived butterflies, living up to 9 months. Every year this butterfly makes an amazing journey, up to 3000 miles, as it migrates to warmer climates, such as Mexico. Even more amazing, the many generations of the butterfly return year after year to many of the same locations. Monarchs are fairly large butterflies and strong fliers; they enjoy open areas and love Milkweed. The monarch chrysalis is just as amazing. It is a shimmering green accented with gold, resembling priceless jewelry, a must-have in all Gardens With Wings™.

Family: Brush-footed Butterfly (Nymphalidae)
Subfamily: Milkweed Butterfly (Danainae)
Average Wingspan: 3 1/2" - 4"
Habitat: Open areas, meadows, fields
Similar To: Queen , Viceroy

Plants That Attract This Butterfly

• Nectar Plants (What is this?)
  Butterfly Bush, Blazing Stars, Butterfly Milkweed, Coreopsis, Lantana, Common Milkweed, Swamp Milkweed , Blood Flower, Salvia
• Host Plants (What is this?)
  Common Milkweed, Butterfly Milkweed, Swamp Milkweed , Blood Flower

Don't forget to send your butterfly photographs to Ray E. to be included in the blog.

Bluebirds Redux

Five new eggs in the PGC nest box.

Hydrangeas in my Landscape

These shrubs just seem to thrive in my landscape. The H. macrophylla and several H. paniculata were here when we bought the place. We've added the climbing hydrangea, H. anomala oak-leaf hydrangea, H. quercifolia , and the native smooth hydrangea, H. arborescens. The links above are from the University of Connecticut, which has a great set of fact sheets about each of these and both the Ohio State and University of Rhode Island fact sheets have good information about  planting, growing, and pruning.  Here's a good site on Hydrangea care, including how to dry the blooms.  Enjoy the pictures.

Oak Leaf H. quercifolia

Native, or Smooth Hydrangea H. arborescens

Climbing Hydrangea H. anomala

Mophead, or H. Macrophylla

The color of the blooms of this variety are blue in acidic soils, pink in soils higher in pH.  Pink varieties develop color best at a soil pH of 6.5 to 7.0., while the best blue color occurs at pH 5.0 to 5.5.

H. Paniculata

This one is being overly shaded by a Norway Maple that's on my "to do" list to remove some day.

Paniculata blooms will come later in the year, but you can see their budding promise, if you look closely.

Another H. Paniculata

Yet Another H. Paniculata

I really like the way the blooms "ripen" into other colors, as well.  The bright white of the smooth Hydrangea mellows into a pale green.  Oak leaf blooms turn from white to a dark pink, and the white of the paniculata goes to a pale pink blush, all of which look wonderful in dried arrangements.  It probably has something to do with the fact that the actual hydrangea flower is small and insignificant but is surrounded by the showy bracts, much like a poinsetta plant.  I haven't had much luck retaining the pink or blue of the mophead when drying, but I've seen dried arrangements that do.  Oakleaf, smooth, and the paniculata seem to do it well without any "help" from me.  Anybody want to add their tips on color retention for drying?  Use the comments section, or shoot me an email.