The Butterflies of 2026

As the growing season ends, I'm looking back fondly. A highlight of the past year, once again, was observing and photographing butterflies. I'm sharing just a few here of the many that I saw and reported to wisconsinbutterfies.org. I'm including monarch caterpillars, too, because I was pleased to find so many in my garden on their host plant Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata).

I'll keep the words short and let the fascinating winged creatures speak for themselves:

Black Swallowtail

Cabbage White

Common Buckeye

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Great Spangled Fritillary

Hobomok Skipper

Least Skipper

Least Skipper

Little Wood-Satyr

Monarch Caterpillars

Monarchs

Silver-Spotted Skipper

Question Mark

Peck's Skipper

Pearl Crescent

Red Admiral

Summer Spring Azure

Tiger Swallowtail

Viceroy

All butterflies were observed at local natural areas, botanical gardens, and on our property. Here's to another great year of beautiful and graceful inspiration!

Tithonias in November

Why would a person facing the inevitable, impending gloom of garden death and dormancy neglect a potted plant that's still blooming? Why continue washing and refilling hummingbird feeders three weeks after the last sighting when some plants are still blooming in the garden, providing nectar for any straggling pollinators?

These were questions facing me recently as I admired the bright blooms of my potted 'Goldfinger' Tithonias (T. rotundifolia). They've suffered a bit more with frost the past couple of nights, but they're still standing on the porch just before the garden goes to sleep for the winter.

The plants have many buds that won't make it before the freeze, but they're so cute and fuzzy.



Oh well. That's my six for "Six on Saturday," hosted by Jim at Garden Ruminations. Have a wonderful weekend!

(Oh, and "Ray" says "Hello.")

Early November in a Tiny Oak Woodland

Pretty in Pink at the End of October

This may be the most comfortable October I've ever experienced. I'd describe the perfect conditions, but...

OK, here goes: Imagine warm but not hot temperatures, a bit of rain, vibrant fall foliage, and a touch of wind. A nip of frost halfway through; mild after that. Yes, perfect. Anyway, the annuals and a few perennials are still blooming, so I have plenty of supplies for floral displays. Yay.

Here are two vases I've pulled together in the past week or so:

Vase 1

Cosmos bipinnatus

Cosmos and Hydrangea foliage

Zinnia elegans

Cleome hassleriana

Conoclinium coelestinum

Vase 2

Cosmos bipinnatus

Zinnia elegans

Unknown Chrysanthemum/Pyrethrum/Tanacetum hybrid

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for hosting the lovely meme, "In a Vase on Monday."