Butterfly gardening – Page 7 – Texas Butterfly Ranch

Tropical Milkweed: To Plant it or Not, it’s Not a Simple Question

Planning your butterfly garden? To plant Tropical milkweed to attract Monarch butterflies or not, is not a simple quesiton.

By Monika Maeckle|2020-08-10T14:32:01-05:00February 25th, 2013|Butterfly gardening, Butterfly Life Cycle, climate change, Drought, Milkweed, Monarch Butterfly, Monarch caterpillar, Monarch Migration, San Antonio Museum Reach|82 Comments

Catalina Trail, Dr. Chip Taylor, Black Witch Moths, Tomato Hornworms and IMAX Movie make Top Posts of 2012

First Frost Often Means the End for Late Season Caterpillars, and a Next Chapter for the Intriguing Frostweed Wildflower

First frost often means the end of the season for butterflies, and a new beginning for butterfly magnet plant, Frostweed, which forms intriguing ice sculputres. And: should you bring a late season caterpillar inside? Hmmm.

By Monika Maeckle|2020-09-01T11:32:19-05:00December 12th, 2012|Butterfly gardening, Butterfly Life Cycle, Texas Hill Country, wildflowers|48 Comments

In the Butterfly Garden: Time to Harvest Sunflower Seeds, Here’s How to Do it
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In the Butterfly Garden: Time to Harvest Sunflower Seeds, Here’s How to Do it

Butterfly gardening, Butterfly Life Cycle, seeds, wildflowers

In the Butterfly Garden: Time to Harvest Sunflower Seeds, Here’s How to Do it

Sunflowers, great for the butterfly garden, are prolific with flowers and later seeds. Yours are probably hanging their heads by now. Here's how to harvest the sunflower seeds for your bird feeder, a protein-rich snack, or to plant next year.

By Monika Maeckle|2020-12-07T16:34:02-06:00July 19th, 2012|Butterfly gardening, Butterfly Life Cycle, seeds, wildflowers|34 Comments

For Monarchs and other Butterflies in your Garden, Gather Milkweed Seeds Now

Gather milkweed seeds now! It's a good time to gather milkweed seeds for future butterfly gardens. If you transplant milkweed seedlings in this summer heat, be sure to give them some shade and lots of water--Tropical milkweed can't take the brutal Texas heat.

By Monika Maeckle|2020-09-01T11:47:40-05:00June 15th, 2012|Butterfly gardening, Butterfly Life Cycle|4 Comments

Desperately Seeking Milkweed: Monarch Butterfly Caterpillars’ Voracious Appetites Create Milkweed Emergency
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Desperately Seeking Milkweed: Monarch Butterfly Caterpillars’ Voracious Appetites Create Milkweed Emergency

Butterfly gardening, Butterfly Life Cycle, Milkweed, Monarch Butterfly

Desperately Seeking Milkweed: Monarch Butterfly Caterpillars’ Voracious Appetites Create Milkweed Emergency

Voracious Monarch butterfly caterpillars create milkweed emergencies throughout Texas. You can seek out pesticide free milkweed from local nurseries or better yet, GYO (grow your own).

By Monika Maeckle|2020-09-01T11:49:06-05:00April 12th, 2012|Butterfly gardening, Butterfly Life Cycle, Milkweed, Monarch Butterfly|147 Comments

Bats, Blooms, Butterflies and Moths–Everyone is Early this year

Everyone's early this year. Wildflowers, birds, bats, butterflies and moth are all making an early appearance. Is it the wet winter or milder temperatures causing the advanced timing?

By Monika Maeckle|2020-09-01T11:50:15-05:00March 30th, 2012|Butterfly gardening, Butterfly Life Cycle, climate change, Drought, Moths, wildflowers|5 Comments

Too early for monarch butterflies? Check out Red Admirals, prolific in response to drought

Red Admirals are in town. And we're not talking military personnel. The beautiful black and red butterflies are slurping sap on area trees with the help from migrating Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers (yes, it's a real bird, and that's its real name). Large numbers of Red Admirals signal a BIG year for butterflies.

By Monika Maeckle|2024-02-23T12:37:20-06:00March 9th, 2012|Butterfly gardening, Butterfly Life Cycle, Red Admirals, Where to see butterflies|0 Comments

Wildflower Bonanza-to-be on the San Antonio Mission Reach, Thanks to Above-average Rains

Wildflowers budding on the San Antonio Mission Reach. Check out the slideshow and a link to better understand the complex collaboration that brought the Mission Reach to life.