by CKR
This swallowtail butterfly came to enjoy the lantana flowers in a pot on my deck. He would sip from the flowers for a while, then fly out to do some loops, then go back to the flowers. It's enough to make you wonder what's in those flowers...
The first time I saw a lantana plant, I think in California, I was intrigued by the flowers that change color, as, I'm guessing, they are pollinated, making it easy for butterflies and others to find the goodies. But then I learned that lantana is an invasive in warm climates, and over the years I've seen its gangly shrubs growing wild in California and Hawaii.
The butterfly isn't the only one tripping the light fantastic in my airspace lately. There's a hummingbird (or more than one; impossible to tell them apart) who's come up to my office window and hovered a few feet from me, staring me in the eye, when I've been on the deck. It's a female or an immature, I'm guessing one of the latter that is unusually curious, probably a broadtail. I haven't put out hummingbird feeders because I don't have a place where I'm willing to let the sugarwater drip. But I saw some drip catchers in the store the other day, so maybe next year. Seems a little late for this year, but they do have to tank up for their migration...
When you read this, I should be flying away too. I'll bring my laptop, but you know how that can go. I've got lots of things I'd like to write, like more in the discussion with Mark and Cernig. I've charged up my laptop with electrons and data so I can even work on the plane.
I'm just going to Oregon, not as far as PLS in south Asia, but that leaves PHK as the only one at her home computer. I know she'll do a great job, and the other two of us will do what we can.