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Nature in Florida - The Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

By Toni Weidman

Real Estate Agent with Sailwinds Realty

September 25, 2011 02:42 AM

The Tiger Swallowtail butterfly isn’t seen around as much as the Monarchs and Sulphers so I was really excited when I saw this one on my Lantana bush. It was hard getting the pictures because butterflies don’t stay still very long especially this one, but we did it (Craig took one of them too).

It was such a bright day that the yellow color shows as white but he is yellow and black-just like a Tiger.

According to Florida Butterfly Gardening by Marc C. & Maria Minno, host plants are trees in the Olive, Magnolia, and Rose families and they inhabit swamps, flatwoods, and hammocks.

My opinion - invest in a Lantana plant or two if you really want to attract Butterflies; they all love them.

Other posts in the series: Nature in Florida

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Nature in Florida - The Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly - © Toni Weidman

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Debbie Walsh

SHAHAR Management - Middletown, NY

Hudson Valley NY Real Estate 845.283-3036

The bush is as pretty as the butterfly - great pictures Toni!

Sep 25, 2011 04:23 AM

Joan Cox

House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO

Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Toni, great looking bush and you get a bonus of beatufiul butterfies -- great photos!

Sep 25, 2011 04:26 AM

Toni Weidman

Sailwinds Realty - Trinity, FL

20+ Years Selling Homes in New Port Richey, FL

Lisa - i do too but this bush turned into a monstor bush and attracts everything! It's a beauty.

Will - yes, you have to have patience :)

Anita - I don't know how anyone cannot love them; they are so pretty.

Clint - I agree; they seem so tranquil except when you are trying to get their picture :)

Kristin - you're right-we do seem to like a lot of the same things. Usually, living, breathing things ;)

Ceil - I guess I should take a picture of just the bush-it is spectacular.

Debra - it is a pretty one.

Joan - I check the bush out through the windows whenever I walk through my livingroom - you just never know what might be hanging around there.

Sep 25, 2011 04:37 AM

Jeanean Gendron

The Address Realty - Redding, CA

Specializing in Selling Unique Properties

Tony, love your garden photos. You must have a beautiful garden to get all these wonderful photos....no butterflies in my garden....it is a courtyard and I've just started getting hummers....making new hummy food today. Thanks for sharing your butterflies. They are beautiful!

Sep 25, 2011 06:40 AM

Tammy Lankford,

Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA

Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

I have two really huge lantana and I have so many butterflies this time of year. I enjoy watching them.

Sep 25, 2011 07:34 AM

John McCarthy

North Hampton, NH

Realtor - Seacoast NH

Hi Toni - We seem to have a healthy population of Tiger Swallowtails up here. We see them on our monster butterfly bush.

Sep 25, 2011 09:05 AM

Ron and Alexandra Seigel

Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA

Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Toni,

What a gorgeous shot and I love the contrast of the black and white of the butterfly and the golden yellow of the lantana. Really gorgeous, thanks for shareing, A

Sep 25, 2011 11:26 AM

Dianne Goode

Raleigh Cary Realty - Raleigh, NC

Realtor/Broker

Hi Toni -- Beautiful photos! Lantanas must be tropical, I never see them here in NC. We have butterfly bushes but they are in bloom for only a short time. As I recall the lantanas bloom for months, which must make the butterflies very happy indeed.

Sep 25, 2011 12:34 PM

Dale Baker

Baker Energy Audits and Commercial Properties Inspections - Claremont, NH

New Hampshire Relocation Real Estate Information

Howdy and evening Toni

Toni, the photos and the Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly, sure are both mighty fine looking. You sure are right about Butterflies liking a Lantana Plant or two in the garden. They also like having a few flat rocks near the plants in the garden to rest on.

Have a good one
Dale in New Hampshire

Sep 25, 2011 02:10 PM

Bill & Cyndi Daves

Hiawassee, Young Harris, Blairsville, Hayesville, Murphy and Beyond! - Hiawassee, GA

TeamDAVES - Your REALTORS In the GA/NC Mountains!

Toni, you did great to get those pictures!! Bill always laughs at me when I grab the camera and start chasing a butterfuly madly around the yard!!

Sep 25, 2011 03:42 PM

Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES

Tropic Shores Realty - Ich spreche Deutsch! - Spring Hill, FL

Florida Waterfront and Country Club Living

Hi Toni, I have a couple of Lantana plants around the house that "planted" themselves. One of them has grown taller than me and both of them attract butterflies, bees and bumblebees!

Sep 26, 2011 01:56 AM

Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP

DFW FINE PROPERTIES - Flower Mound, TX

Selling Homes Changing Lives

Toni,

I think its picture perfect just the way it is. I can just imagine how enthralled you both were while the butterfly was fluttering around the garden. I don't know about you, but butterflies have always caused my heart to flutter!

Butterflies have certain colors and flowers they gravitate towards, so it doesn't surprise me at all that his color was deeper yellow, as you described. Those Lantanas drew him in and you were there to capture the spectacular moment.

Timing is everything. You're right, it's not easy to get those wings opened up for the picture. It takes patience and your patience paid off. Because of you, I was able to take pleasure in the butterfly that landed on your lantana bush that was planted in your enchanted gardens.

Sep 26, 2011 02:03 AM

Lawrence "Larry" & Sheila Agranoff. Cell: 631-805-4400

The Top Team @ Charles Rutenberg Realty 255 Executive Dr, Plainview NY 11803 - Plainview, NY

Long Island Condo and Home Specialists

Toni, Butterflies make a garden dazzle with their colors and their movements. We mostly have Monarchs here and only a couple at a time, so it must be a joy to see several fluttering around!

Sep 26, 2011 03:52 AM

Mary Yonkers

Alan Kells School of Real Estate/Howard Hanna Real Estate - Erie, PA

Erie/PA Real Estate Instructor

Toni--Thanks for sharing your knowledge of butterflies as well as these photos. And plants, too. The flowers on the Latana plant are beautiful, too. At this time of year our butterflies and birds are heading south, but I have never seen a Tiger Swallowtail here.

Have a good day.

Mary

Sep 26, 2011 04:14 AM

Toni Weidman

Sailwinds Realty - Trinity, FL

20+ Years Selling Homes in New Port Richey, FL

Jeanean - thank you. We both love our flowers, butterflies and birds and the bees.

Tammy - what could be better especially when you need to relax.

John - I used to have a Butterfly bush in our last home but they grow so big that I decided to not plant one in this yard. Glad to hear you have lots of Tigers.

Alexandra - you're welcome.

Dianne - the Lantanas bloom continually from Spring through Fall.

Dale - you are right about the flat rocks - which we have and we also provide a shallow dish for water or sometimes fruit that they can drink from.

Cyndi - our neighbors don't even come out anymore; they are used to my crazy antics when it comes to photographing wildlife.

Silvia - we have a few small ones that we didn't plant either. I guess the birds are helping :)

Sheila - I love the Monarchs; they are so colorful and quite friendly. They will land on your outstretched hand or on your hair.

Mary - The flowers are pretty, they're not big but very abundant so they look gorgeous.

Sep 26, 2011 04:39 AM

John McCormack, CRS

Albuquerque Homes Realty - Albuquerque, NM

Honesty, Integrity, Results, Experienced. HIRE Me!

Hi Toni -

Beautiful and the framing around the photos really showcase your pics.

Best regards from The Q

Sep 26, 2011 04:39 AM

Toni Weidman

Sailwinds Realty - Trinity, FL

20+ Years Selling Homes in New Port Richey, FL

John - thank you!

And, thanks to all of you who took the time to comment on my butterflies.

Sep 26, 2011 04:40 AM

Amy Robinson

London Pierce Real Estate - Scottsdale, AZ

Realtor, Scottsdale Arizona Homes For Sale

WOW great shot and thank goodness you had a camera close by. You must have a lot of luck floating around your yard :)

Sep 26, 2011 05:05 AM

Toni Weidman

Sailwinds Realty - Trinity, FL

20+ Years Selling Homes in New Port Richey, FL

Amy - I always have a camera or two or three close by. They are all over the house and car.

Sep 26, 2011 11:53 PM

Barbara-Jo Roberts Berberi, MA, PSA, TRC - Greater Clearwater Florida Residential Real Estate Professional

Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL

Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater, Safety Harbor

Toni - I really love the new wallpaper that you have on this website! That is indeed Florida at it's best, nature the way it was intended to be! Nothing like native plants and insects!!!

Sep 28, 2011 01:49 AM