Create a butterfly garden ~ easy as 1, 2, 3

 

Providing Habitat for Butterflies (with lists of local species)

Providing habitat for butterflies is as easy as 1, 2, 3!
1) Eliminate chemicals from your landscape
2) Plant plenty of flowers for the adult butterflies
3) Plant host plants for the caterpillars

Nothing brings life to your yard and garden like an abundance of colorful, carefree butterflies! Since there are so many species of butterflies in North America, providing any type of flowering nectar plant will probably attract one or two to stop by your yard from time to time. But if you really want to make your yard something more than a fast-food fueling spot for these beautiful creatures, you must provide both nectar plants for the adult butterflies and host plants for the larval caterpillars. Yes, caterpillars will leave holes in the plant leaves and chew certain species of host plants down to the ground. But the joy and educational experience of being witness to the entire butterfly life-cycle makes it worthwhile to buy some plants specifically for that purpose.

When an adult butterfly lands on a host plant, if you watch closely, you may see them curve their ovipositor up under the leaf to deposit an egg. Although females can produces hundreds of eggs, most are deposited singly or in small clusters, either on or under a leaf of the host plant. The eggs are sometimes as small as the head of a pin, but within a few days a tiny caterpillar emerges and begins pursing its life’s purpose—to eat!!! Caterpillars eat constantly, until they get too big for their own skin. Then, they shed their skin to make room for more food. This process is repeated numerous times until the caterpillar reaches many times its original size. Once fully grown, the larva seeks a safe place to pupate. This can be a branch, a twig or the eave of your house or other structure. It will attach itself with a fine strand of silk-like material and form a chrysalis. This is where the transformation to a butterfly takes place. When the butterfly is ready to hatch, the process happens very quickly, so only the most observant catch a glimpse of this “birth”. However, if you have butterflies in your yard, you will often be able to witness the newly hatched butterfly as it hangs from it’s chrysalis drying its wings in preparation for its first flight. To be able to witness all or part of this wonderful garden miracle, you must select the right plants.

For nectar, choose plants that are brightly colored and fragrant. Large blooms provide a place for the butterfly to land while feeding. Plant a large variety of different flowers and be sure to keep different blooming times in mind so that you can feed the butterflies throughout the garden seasons. Many adult butterflies prefer to feed in full sun.

For larval, or caterpillar plants, most butterflies feed on only a limited number of species of plants. If you are trying to attract a certain type of butterfly, it is important that you plant the larval food for that species. Remember that if you are successful in attracting the caterpillars to your yard, your host plants will be chewed, sometimes down to the bare stems. Therefore, buy your host plants in quantities and intersperse them with your other garden plants to hide the chewed leaves and to give the caterpillars a certain amount of cover from birds and other predators.

Also, it is important to avoid pesticides in your yard if you want butterflies. Both the butterflies and the caterpillars can be harmed by any sort of toxic chemical. Even "benign" insecticides, such as Bacillus thuringiensis, can be lethal to butterflies and caterpillars.

Here is a list of some of the butterflies common to DC, Virginia and Maryland. Complete lists are available here: Butterflies of DC , Butterflies of Maryland , Butterflies of Virginia.

Butterfly	Adult butterfly nectar plant	Host Plant
Zebra Swallowtail	Redbud, lilac, verbena, milkweed	Pawpaw
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail	Flowers of many plants incl. lilac and cherry	Wild cherry, sweet bay, cottonwood, willow
Monarch	Milkweed, lilac, lantana, thistles, others	Milkweed
Red Admiral	Bird droppings, tree sap, fermented fruit	Nettles
Gulf Frittillary	Lantanas, cordias and others	Passion vines, including maypop
Common Buckeye	Aster, chickory, tickseed, peppermint	Snapdragons, ruellias
Painted Lady	Thistles, aster, cosmos, joe-pye weed	Many hosts, incl. thistles, hollyhock, legumes
Giant Swallowtail	Lantana, azalea, goldenrod, milkweed	Citrus, prickly ash, hop tree
Black Swallowtail	Red clover, thistles, milkweed	Parsely, celery, dill
Long tailed skipper	Bougainvillea, lantana, shepherd's needle	Legumes, wisteria, beggar's ticks

Montgomery County Master Gardener Clinic

The Montgomery County Master Gardeners' mini-conference for the public is being held on Saturday, February 26, 2011 from 8am - 3pm at the Montgomery County Extension office in Deerwood, Maryland.

There are many great sessions scheduled including: Landscaping for Pollinators, Community Gardens, Growing Herbs, Rejuvenation Pruning and Maintenance Pruning and more.

Click here to download brochure in pdf format: Random Acts of Gardening : Montgomery County Master Gardener Spring Mini-Conference

February Garden Tips from Maryland Extension

Here are some Garden Tips for February from the Maryland Extension System Home and Garden Center.

Lawns

• Late February through the end of March is the second best time (the optimum time is late August through mid-October) to over-seed your lawn to make it thicker or to cover bare areas. The freezing and thawing of the soil this time of the year helps the seed to get good soil contact. Read HG 102.  

Woody Ornamentals

• Trees and shrubs can still be pruned now. You may notice excessive sap bleeding from pruning cuts on elm maple, birch, dogwood, beech, walnut, magnolia, tulip poplar and redbud. This bleeding is harmless to the tree.  

Ornamental Plants

• Avoid the temptation to start seeds too early. Check seed packets for detailed information on starting various types of flowers.

• Spring bulbs are slowly emerging this month. Exposed leaves may be burned a little by very cold temperatures, but the spring flower display will not be diminished.  

Vegetable and Herb gardening

• If starting seeds indoors, set up florescent grow lights, and gather needed materials: pots, trays, soil less mix.

• Consider purchasing some floating row cover material to protect crops against insects and promote early growth. A floating row cover is a light weight spun fabric that permits light and water to enter, traps the soils natural heat and keep out pest insects.

• Fresh tarragon, rosemary, and mint sprigs can be purchased in food markets and rooted indoors in a soil less mix to be grown under cool white fluorescent bulbs. The new plants can then be set outdoors in pots or garden beds in May. Wildlife

• Continue to feed wild birds through the remaining winter weeks. Black oil sunflower seeds and suet cakes are a good choice for a wide variety of birds. Keep bird feeders clean and provide your wild birds with fresh water.

For more February Tips for the garden and other practical information, download the complete newsletter.

Casey Trees Launches Arbor Kids

Casey Trees’ has launched a new webpage, Arbor Kids to get kids outdoors to learn about trees and their many environmental, social and economic benefits.

Although created for kids, Arbor Kids is a great resource for educators, caregivers and parents, too.

Downloadable activities include:

• Name that Tree! Learn how to identify some of the most commonly found trees in the District.
• Tree Benefits Scavenger Hunt. Challenge yourself and friends to find all the listed tree benefits in the shortest amount of time.
• How Tall Is That Tree? In four easy steps, you can determine the height of any tree.
• My Trees: A Home Inventory. Name, count and map the trees at and in front of your home.

Schools and other learning centers can also request a tree planting through Casey Trees’ Community Tree Planting program. Casey Trees provides the trees, tools and technical assistance free of charge. Students participate in a tree rally and follow up care activities, complementing existing classroom instruction.

For more information, visit the Casey Trees website.

About Casey Trees:
Casey Trees is a Washington, DC-based not-fot-profit, established in 2001, dedicated to restoring, enhancing and protecting the tree canopy of the Nation's Capital.
For more information, visit www.caseytrees.org.

Don't forget tomorrow's seed swap!

Washington Gardener Magazine 2011 Seed Exchange  

Saturday, January 29 12:30-4pm  


On-site Registration opens at 12:00noon

($15 for general public or $10 if a Washington Gardener NMagazine subscriber of a member of Friends of Brookside Gardens)

For more information, check out this post on the Washington Gardener Magazine Blog

Please! Stop me before I kill again!

Blame it on the cold, dreary winter. I get trapped inside for too long and eventually something inside me just snaps and I end up going out and killing something. I don't mean to do it. I'm just trying to shape up some of the useless, dregs of the earth but I end up going too far and before I know it, I add another victim to my hit list.

But don't worry. Unless you are a bit of struggling winter foliage, you are safe.

It's one of the big ironies of my gardening style. In the spring and summer, I am horrible about pruning. My plants get all scraggly and covered with bare branches and spent flowers. But in the winter, I just can't tolerate all of those bare branches sticking up in the yard, and I head out with my pruners.

What's dead and what's dormant?

I'm sure that, over the years, I have yanked up or mutilated many plants that could have survived the winter if I had just left them alone. So before you go out and start trying to clean up the winter garden, here are a few things I've learned along the way.

• Many plants that look dead in the winter are just dormant. Dormancy is like a form of hibernation for plants. There are different degrees of dormancy, with some plants shutting down all but the most basic biological processes needed for survival. Others may only go semi-dormant. When in doubt about a plant, look it up online to see if it is the kind that goes dormant.
• A good way to tell if a woody plant is dormant is to take your thumb nail and scratch a branch or the bark of the plant and see if it's green underneath. If you scratch the plant on an outer branch and find it brown underneath, try scratching closer to the base of the plant. Sometimes, outer parts of the plant may die, though the rest of it lives.
• Woody plants should be pruned according to the pruning calendars below.
• Cold hardy perennials should survive the winter. Don't get frustrated and pull them up. Winter mulching should help them through the cold. Mulch should be applied after several hard freezes and removed as new growth begins in spring.
• Perennials can be damaged during the winter if their soil is too wet. To help plants through winter cold, dig organic matter and grit into the garden, improving drainage. Well-drained soils will also warm faster in spring.
• Leaving dead growth on the perennials can be beneficial for several reasons. It can provide frost protection, and the seed heads will provide winter food sources for birds.
• Most annuals will not survive the winter. You can remove their seed heads for sowing indoors, save them for the spring, or leave them for visiting birds to dine on.
• Some plants cannot survive cold soil, even when dormant. You may be able to protect them if you put them in pots and store them in a frost free spot until spring.
• If you still can't tell for certain if a plant is living or dead, simply wait for spring. If you don't see any new growth several months into the spring, add your plant to the compost pile.

And remember, just in case you are looking for something productive to do this time of year -- it is a great time to sharpen your axe and your chainsaw.

 

For more information about when to prune, check these resources:

Pruning Trees and Shrubs in Late Winter
Managing Winter Injury to Trees and Shrubs
Shrub Pruning Calendar
Deciduous Tree Pruning Calendar
Evergreen Tree Pruning Calendar

Indoor plants help reduce VOCs

When I learn something new and cool about plants, I like to share it. So here is some info I learned about indoor plants recently.

Most of us know that one of the benefits of houseplants is that they remove carbon dioxide from the air and replace it with oxygen. But I didn't realize that some plants can actually help remove Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from the air.

Volatile organic compounds are gases released as materials age and degrade over time. VOCs are found in everything from paints and coatings to underarm deodorant and cleaning fluids and they are thought to cause allergic reactions such as asthma, headaches, upper respiratory infections, rashes and even cancer.

Nearly 25 years ago, Dr. Wolverton, a retired NASA scientist and author of How to Grow Fresh Air, published a study touting the benefits of houseplants as air purifiers. In November 2002, Dr. Wolverton confirmed the results of further researchers and added “there is now sufficient evidence to support the concept of using interior plants to provide good IAQ (Indoor Air Quality)”

Here are some common toxins and the plants that can help remove them:  

BENZENE BASED TOXINS

 Source of Toxins:

Detergents, Inks and Dyes, Plastics, Rubber Products, Petroleum Products, Synthetic Fibers, Tobacco Smoke  

Plants Associated with the Removal of those Toxins:

Spathiphyllum (Peace Lily), Dracaena spp., Gerbera (Gerber Daisy), Hedera spp. (Ivy), Chrysanthemum (mum), Aglaonema (Chinese Evergreen)  

FORMALDEHYDE BASED TOXINS 

Source of Toxins:

Carpeting, Cleaners, Foam Insulation, Furniture, Paper Products, Plywood and Particle Board

Plants Associated with the Removal of those Toxins:

Ficus spp. (Weeping Fig), Philodendron spp., Chlorophytum (Spider Plant), Sansevieria (Snake Plant), Chamaedorea (Bamboo Palm), Hedera spp.(Ivy), Epipremnum (Golden Pothos)

TRICHLOROETHLENE TOXINS 

Source of Toxins:

Adhesives, Dry cleaning, Inks and Dyes, Lacquers and Paints, Paper Products, Varnishes

Plants Associated with the Removal of those Toxins:

Dracaena spp., Gerbera (Gerber Daisy), Spathiphyllum (Peace Lily), Chrysanthemum (mum)

For more information:

15 Houseplants You Can Use as Air Purifiers

15 Houseplants for Improving Indoor Air Quality

Garden workshops, classes and lectures

Here are some upcoming workshops and classes to keep your green thumb in shape during the winter:

Winter Workshops Sponsored by Homestead Gardens

Sunday, January 30
11am: Proper Pruning Techniques($5) – Education Coordinator Gene Sumi provides an informative demonstration on when and how to prune trees and shrubs. Dress warmly as this workshop is outside.
2pm: Proper Pruning Techniques($5) (Severna Park)
2pm: Bird House Workshop($10) – Kids get to decorate their own birdhouse and pinecone feeder to help out their feathered friends during the coldest months of the year.

Saturday, February 5
8:30am: Small Flock Poultry Party ($5) – University of Maryland Cooperative Extensions presents everything you need to know about the fun new trend of raising backyard chickens, including flock health and nutrition.
11am: Orchids for Beginners ($35) – Orchid expert Dr. Clark Riley shares his insights into raising & nurturing these graceful flowers. (Includes a take-home orchid.)
2pm: Orchids for Fanatics ($35) – Feed your orchid addiction with this seminar from Dr. Riley that will educate collectors of these tropical beauties. (Includes a take-home orchid.)

Sunday, February 6
11am: Soil Amendments($5) – Education Coordinator Gene Sumi takes you beyond basic light and water requirements to discuss the process of creating a rich and nutritious mix to get your whole garden in great shape.
2pm: Soil Amendments($5) (Severna Park)
2pm: The Wonderful World of Herbs ($5) – Annuals Manager Kerry Kelly discusses the history, functionality and botany of herbs and their many uses, from culinary additions to aromatherapy to decorative home accents.

For more events, click here for full calendar of Winter Workshops from Homestead Gardens.

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Upcoming Events sponsored by Behnke Nurseries:

Saturday, Jan. 29, 11 a.m. to noon in Beltsville
Talk on “Raising & Cultivating African Violets”by Sonja Behnke Festerling. Sonja grew up at Behnke’s and has worked with African Violets most of her life. She has a wealth of knowledge to share and will discuss how to care and propagate them from home. Everyone attending the talk will go home with an African Violet plant. $10.

Sunday, Jan 30 at 1 p.m. in Beltsville
Workshop on “Building a Terrarium”
Find out why some plants work better than others for terrariums as you build one to take home at the end of class. Learn which plants work best together and how to care for your new micro-garden. Cost: Your cost will depend on the terrarium and plants you choose from our supplies. All other materials for this workshop are free.

Saturday, Feb. 5 at 11 a.m. in Beltsville
Talk: “Attracting Birds to Your Winter Garden” by with Master Gardener Natalie Brewer
During the cold winter months, birds are a sweet reminder of Spring. Natalie will talk about how to attract feathered friends to your yard with supplemental feeding and the right kind of plantings. Free.

Saturday, Feb 5 at 1 p.m. in Beltsville
Children’s Workshop: “Build a Birdhouse” for ages 7 and up.
Build a birdhouse from a kit to hang outdoors for your feathered friends. Then personalize it with paint. All materials included. $25.

For more events, click here for Behnke's full calendar.

Myths About Native Plants

Thomas Rainer, a local landscape architect, recently did a series of posts entitled Myths About Native Plants on his blog, grounded design.

Since native plants can be an environmentally sound choice for many reasons, including ease of care and providing food sources for native wildlife, eliminating the myths about these valuable plants is an important step in encouraging more eco-friendly landscapes.

To me, there are two major Myths about Native Plants. The first major myth about native plants is that ANY native plant will just naturally do well in a landscape. This, of course, isn't true. Plants will only do well in a landscape if their requirements for sun, water and soil type meet your site conditions. In other words, native plants that require a lot of water are not going to do well in a high and dry landscape. Rainer covers this myth in his post: Myth #1: Native plants are more drought-tolerant than their exotic counterparts.

His second post in the series, is entitled: Native Plant Myth #2: Native Plants are Not as Tough as Exotic Plants . And in it he says that there is a common belief "that natives are somehow weaker and more delicate than exotics plants." I've never really run into that belief and, in fact, think that many people believe exactly the opposite - that ANY native plant will survive wherever you put it. Again, I refer to the tenant of Right Plant, Right Place - or choosing plants to match the site conditions of your landscape.

The other thing that I think is a common misconception is that all native landscapes are weedy and unkempt looking. I think that part of the reason for this bad reputation is that certain proponents of native plants like a very natural looking landscape, rather than one that is manicured. They let the wildflowers grow in their yards and they don't prune or trim their plants to keep them neat looking and because of the hap-hazard look of their yard, some people assume that native landscapes=wild and weedy. This is a myth that I always try to dispell. Native landscapes can be kept just as neat and trimmed and manicured looking as a non-native landscape. The look of the landscape is more about the person doing the landscaping than about the plants themselves. Rainer's third post about native plants, Native Plant Myth #3: Native Plants are not as showy or ornamental as exotic plants is somewhat along the same lines. In it he states "The problem is not that native plants are intrinsically less ornamental than exotics; the problem is one of design. Native gardens, for the most part, overly imitate natural plant communities. Native gardens end up looking like some poor imitation of a woodland or meadow. As a result, we have no precedent for natives in man-made landscapes."

I think that we are all in the learning stages when it comes to creating environmentally friendly landscapes. And when it comes to native plants, many of us still have a lot to learn. Check out Rainer's blog, grounded design, to get his views on landscaping with natives. And then to learn even more about native plants, visit the native plant information on our Resources page.

I can resist everything except temptation

With the current condition of our winter gardens, it is easy to be seduced by photos of all of the colorful, exotic beauties that are gracing the pages of our seed and garden catalogs and websites. But before we pull out our credit cards and start placing our orders for spring planting, perhaps we should revisit our post from way back in July 2010 called the 12 Relationship Rules for Gardeners.

Several of the "Relationship Rules" mentioned in that post remind us of the importance of choosing plants that are appropriate to our planting zone and site conditions. Choosing plants that don't fit our site conditions is a waste of money and usually leads to disappointment. Or as I said in that previous post:

"If you want to be in a relationship with sweet things that you aren’t really compatible with just because they are beautiful, it might work but it is going to require a lot of effort. Probably neither one of you will ever be completely happy." 

The problem is, if you haven't already taken a site survey and gotten to know your landscape on a personal level, winter is not really the best time to do so. Sun, shade and water conditions are all different now then they will be a few months from now. However, this post Work With Mother Nature, Not Against Her, provides some guidelines for getting started. And you can also go ahead and learn a little bit more about your site by getting a pre-season soil test.

Are there other steps that can be taken to insure that you aren't seduced into unhappy or unhealthy gardening relationships? Sure! There are hundreds of on-line dating sites that allow people to learn a lot about their prospective partners before they ever meet them face to face. And there are just as many websites that help you to get to know your plants before you invest too much time and money in them.

Most seed and garden catalogs (and websites) provide some level of information about the needs of the species that they have for sale. The information can be as limited as just the USDA hardiness zone or it can contain uncertain terms such as "partial sun". Neither of these limited bits of information is really that useful. After all, Albuquerque, New Mexico and Washington, DC are in the same USDA hardiness zone. That doesn't mean that the same plants will necessarily thrive in both locations.

Other companies provide very detailed information about the plants, including light, moisture and soil conditions, as well as whether they attract certain forms of wildlife, such as hummingbirds or butterflies.

In any case, cold winter nights are the perfect time to do a little research about plant choices for your yard. So here are some gardening resources for learning about local plants. Think of them as dating sites for your garden - the perfect places to find your Perfect Plant Match and create more Harmony in the garden.

Recommended Plants for the Washington DC Area
Native Plant Resources for Maryland
Wildflowers Native to Maryland
Recommended Native Plant Species - select your region
National Gardening Association PlantFinder
Plant Information Online

Get your soil tested

If you are looking for something proactive to do to prepare for your spring time landscaping, now is a good time to get your soil tested. Testing your soil now gives you plenty of time to make any adjustments necessary to get your landscape in prime planting condition.

A soil test can provide a great deal of information about the pH and nutrients of your soil. Knowing what is already in your soil will allow you to apply the proper amount of lime and fertilizer, minimizing the water polluting nutrient runoff which can be caused by overfertilization.

Scott Reiter, an Extension agent with the Prince George County office of Virginia Cooperative Extension, provides these steps for getting a good soil sample:

First, you need to select the right tools for the job. A soil probe is the best tool for taking a sample because it is fast and collects the soil evenly from top to bottom. A soil probe is essentially a sharpened pipe with a handle on top. These probes can be purchased at some farm supply and hardware stores. For those of you that only need to take 1 or 2 samples a garden trowel or small shovel will work just fine. Next, find a clean plastic bucket to collect your soil in. Do not use galvanized buckets or tools because the zinc in the coating will affect your test results. 

I usually recommend that at least 10 subsamples be collected from the area you are testing. The more subsamples you collect from an area the more accurate your results will be. In lawns, landscape beds, pastures, or hay fields collect soil to a 4-6 inch depth. This is where most plant roots are found and soil amendments are easily added to this depth. Vegetable gardens and crop fields should be sampled to the tilling or plowing depth. Be sure you sample the same depth throughout the entire area. Once you have collected the soil, thoroughly mix it and remove any large roots or gravel. Fill your sample box with the mixed soil and you are done with this sample. 

You may need to take multiple samples around your home or farm. The vegetable garden, front lawn, flower beds, or newly cleared areas are examples of separate sampling areas. If you have an area where plants do not grow well, sample that area separately too. 

Once you have completed taking your samples you are now ready to submit them to a reliable laboratory. Virginia Tech has a soil testing laboratory for use by citizens of the Commonwealth. Homeowners can submit samples for a $7 per sample fee. There are also private soil testing laboratories that charge comparable fees. You should receive your soil test results 1-2 weeks after mailing them. I caution people with relying on the do-it-yourself testing kits. There is more chance for error when running the test yourself and relying on color matching charts to determine nutrient levels. A soil testing laboratory uses a standard procedure and runs test samples to make sure the results are accurate.

For more information about soil testing, read:
Preparing soil in winter for a successful spring
Soil Sampling for the Home Gardener

Changing your relationship with weeds

Dealing with weeds is one of the most troublesome aspects of landscaping and gardening. No matter how hard we work to keep them out, they always seem to find their way back in. They float in on a puff of air, reach over from the neighbor's yard with long, tenuous roots or get dropped there by birds or other animals that think our yard is the perfect pooping ground. It often seems tempting to assault them with herbicides, but that is never the best answer when it comes to eco-friendly gardening. There are many other methods that can be tried for safer weed eradication.

But rather than tackling the weed problem from such an aggressive stance, perhaps we should adopt a more peaceful approach.

Here are my Tips for changing your relationship with weeds

1) Keep your lawn healthy - The best way to keep weeds out is to provide ideal soil and environmental conditions for turf and then maintain a healthy lawn so that the weeds have no room to establish themselves in the first place. Weeds are telling you something about your soil. The reason you have weeds and not turf is because the soil conditions in that spot are more favorable to the weeds than they are to the soil. For example, moss is an indication that your soil is acidic, moist and shaded. To get rid of weeds: You must address the underlying soil conditions. Get a soil test to learn which soil amendments to add. Source

2) Use mulch to suppress weeds- Mulches reduce weed growth by making conditions unfavorable for germination of weed seeds and by providing a physical barrier for emerging weeds. A good mulch layer can save many hours of laborious weeding. A thick layer of organic mulch material is especially effective in reducing the number of annual weeds in the garden, since they have difficulty penetrating such a layer. Some perennial weeds may also be suppressed in this way if they are small, but often dandelions or other tap rooted weeds will eventually find their way through the mulch. Source

3) Learn to appreciate their beauty- Have you ever been driving down the highway in some state, other than your own, and just been blown away by all of the beautiful wildflowers growing by the side of the road? To the residents of that state, those glorious roadside beauties are probably considered weeds. Why? Because any plant that spreads easily enough to flourish along a busy highway probably has no problem making its way into people's landscapes. And if you just let some of the weeds alone in your own yard, you could end up with your own beautiful patches of wildflowers that changes with the seasons. Local Native plant societies are great places to learn about many local species. Maryland Native Plant Society, Virginia Native Plant Society

4) Add them to your salads - Some weedy plants are edible, providing nutritious variety to the regular diet: dandelions, purslane, chickweed, cress, mustards, and lambsquarters all offer greens; blackberries produce sweet fruits; Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes) are the tubers of a native sunflower; and, of course, there is always wild asparagus to stalk. Before attempting to eat wild plants, be sure they are properly identified. Source

5) Leave them for the wildlife - Weeds can provide nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects. They also provide seeds for many types of bird species. Learn about the beautiful butterflies in your area by using this map: Butterflies of DC, Butterflies of Maryland, Butterflies of Virginia. You can even use the selection window to find your own county!

How do you treat weeds in your lawn or garden?

• Weed and feed
• Spot treat
• Hand pull
• Other

View Results

Horticulture Internships at National Arboretum

Just got a message about jobs that are available for interns at the U.S. National Arboretum.

Internship opportunities are available in the areas of Floral and Nursery Plant Research, Horticulture Education, and Horticulture. All interns participate in regularly scheduled educational programs and field trips, work on a group or independent project that benefits the arboretum, and are supervised by the arboretum's professional staff. Compensation for the 2011 summer internships is approx. $11.91/hr. Internships will begin at the end of May or early June and will finish in early August. The work week for most interns is Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m, 40 hours a week. Interns are based at the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. with research interns working occasionally in Beltsville, MD. College credit may be arranged by the student and is encouraged. 

To apply for an internship, please send a cover letter, resume, transcripts, and a completed Supplemental Questionnaire via email or postal mail to:

Internship Office
US National Arboretum
3501 New York Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002

USNA.Internships@ars.usda.gov

Here is a pdf document with more information: 2011 Internship Opportunities at the U.S. National Arboretum

Rules to break in the garden from Washington Gardener Magazine

I know January is the month to set new rules for ourselves, but Kathy Jentz, Editor and Publisher of Washington Gardener Magazine, had some great rules to break in the garden. Read her full newsletter for more great local gardening information, including her suggestion for rules to follow:

5 Old Rules to Break, by Kathy Jentz

1) Turf is King – The green suburban lawn is no longer the ideal or the goal. Turfgrass is one of the most wasteful of our natural resources, not to mention high time-consuming to maintain by the owner. Today’s gardeners are looking at other groundcover choices including expanding shrub borders, installing edible beds, and hardscaping pathways.

2) Spray Away – Chemicals used to be the answer to all of your garden’s ills, but along with killing grubs, they were also taking a toll on your own health and that of the local environment. The key words today are diagnosis first, then exploration of chemical alternatives second. Living with some imperfection is very 21^st Century.

3) Dig and Double Dig – Just a few years ago, we were all urged to dig in that compost and fertilizer to really work it in. Researchers have shown that we are doing far more damage to the soil’s structure than any benefit. In addition, we are turning up new weed seeds that would otherwise be dormant. Stop digging and start layering on organic materials to decompose and work their own way.

4) Fertilize Everything – Fertilizer spreaders are joining the VCR and transistor radio in scrap heaps. Most fertilizer applied on and around plants washes away and into our local streams. Today the word is to feed the soil, not the plants. Healthy soil promotes strong growth. Add your own homemade compost and organic mulch to your beds to provide nutrients.

5) Water Copiously – The oscillating sprinkler is another dinosaur headed for the junkyard. Good gardeners know to group their plants by their watering needs and to use drip irrigation, not overhead sprinklers or hoses.

Washington Gardener magazine is the only gardening magazine published specifically for the local metro area — zones 6-7 — Washington DC and its suburbs.
For more information, visit their blog.

In honor or Martin Luther King Day

All I'm saying is simply this, that all life is interrelated, that somehow we're caught in an inescapable network of mutuality tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. For some strange reason, I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. You can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality. 

— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

Today is Martin Luther King, Jr Day. I have to admit, that history was never my favorite subject in school. I liked math and English and anything that allowed me to go outside (science, phys. Ed, photography) but my mind tended to wander when listening to lectures or reading about the events that helped to shape our world, even if the “events” were current ones.

I was a child during the lives and deaths of many great men, and although I heard about their deaths, I knew very little about their lives. I was too busy chasing frogs and fireflies (and eventually boys) to have an interest in much that was going on outside of my own little world.

As an adult, of course, I now realize the magnitude of what these brave and powerful men and women accomplished during their lives: the freedoms and the rights that they fought for and helped ensure for the rest of us. As an adult, I realize how difficult it is to stand up for what one feels is right and fair and just and to not just stand up, but to move forward on those beliefs and to try to make a change and make a difference to the lives of others.

I know. This is a gardening blog. And you may think that it doesn’t really have anything to do with Martin Luther King Jr or any of the great men and women that came before us but it does. Our present world is the result of the convictions and the acts of those who came before us. Just as our future world will be the result of what we do here and now during our time on this earth.

As I like to remind my readers from time to time “ All of Life is Your Garden. Plant something Good.”

For more information about Martin Luther King:

Martin Luther King Day of Service

Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday – Presidential Proclamation

Volunteer Opportunities for Gardeners around DC

I saw a post on a local garden forum asking for volunteer opportunities for gardeners. Just in case one of your resolutions for the New Year is to do a little volunteering, here are some sources for local volunteer opportunities.

Volunteer Opportunities - from the Virginia Cooperative Extension Site.

City Blossoms - Help create urban gardening experiences for children and communities.

United States Botanic Garden - Opportunities are available weekdays or weekends in horticulture, education, and behind-the-scenes activities

University of Maryland Native Garden - help maintain garden, run plant sales, etc.

Search results from Volunteer.org - keyword garden, location Washington, DC

Search results from VolunteerMatch.org - keyword garden, location Washington, DC

Become a Master Gardener - University of Maryland Extension, Virginia Master Gardener Program

Look What's Blooming in this Virginia Garden

Back in February 2007, fellow garden blogger, Carol, decided to start keeping track of what was blooming in her garden from year to year by posting garden photos in her blog, May Dreams Garden, on the 15th of each month and inviting other gardeners to add their photos. Since then, the popularity of Garden Bloggers Bloom Day has grown!

Although you wouldn't think that many local gardeners would still be able to find enough beauty in their yards to share, local Virginia gardener Jan participated yesterday by adding photos of all of the beautiful color that is filling her yard this winter. Jan is still surrounded by reds, yellows, oranges and blues. Check out her blog post, What's Blooming in January 2011, to find out her secret!

Different Zodiac Signs? How does that affect our gardens?

I love reading my horoscope every day and I have to tell you, they are usually spot on. So when I saw the reports that announced that because of something to do with astrology, our zodiac signs are all messed up, I didn’t really pay much attention. In case you are interested, here is a link about how the whole thing got started: Astrology Story Soars Like a Comet

But then I started thinking, hey, maybe all of that astrological misalignment is why my garden doesn’t always do what I think it should, when it should.

In case you have missed the reports, our zodiac signs have to do with which constellation the sun rises in at the time we were born. But because the earth has “wobbled” on its axis over the last 2000 years, the sun rises in a different constellation than it did back when astrology and zodiac signs were conceived. So our astrological signs are all off by about one sign. Here’s a brief explanation by Bill Nye the Science Guy that I found on Zap2It.com.

But what does all of that have to do with gardening? Well, along with all of the other things that the zodiac signs are supposed to influence, many people believe that planting by the signs of the zodiac can affect your garden.

Here is some information I found on Gardening by the Moon:

The fertile water signs are Cancer, Pisces, and Scorpio, and are best for planting above ground, leafy annuals. Air signs work well for some plants, but are generally barren and dry. Libra is an exception to that rule, and is semi-fertile and good for blooming flowers and herbs. Flowers are the part of the plant associated with air signs. Melons like Gemini, and onions respond well in Aquarius. When the Moon is in an air sign it is a good time to harvest and cultivate. 

The fire signs of Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are very barren and dry, but may be used for crops grown for their seed. Because it is barren, Leo is a good sign for weeding and cultivation, so seeds won't sprout. It is also good to harvest during a fire sign.

So, now that we know the astrological signs are wrong, how does that affect our gardening schedule? Are the periods which we considered fertile times no longer fertile? Are the barren times we have always associated with Leo no longer barren? And what the heck are we supposed to do with the new astrological sign, Ophiuchus? Sow, reap, weed or cultivate?

To find the answer, I consulted what most gardeners consider the ultimate source for when and where and what in the garden, The Farmer’s Almanac. I found this blog post by Jaime McLeod, entitled Is Your Sign Wrong that seems to indicate that, since most gardening lore has to do with the moon rather than the sun, as far as our gardens go (and grow) things haven’t changed.

Astronomy is the scientific interpretation of matter in space. Astronomers don’t try to interpret the meaning of the Moon or Sun’s position in the sky, only to describe it as accurately as possible.” 

Astrologers simply sliced the sky up into 12 equal sections, each of which was named after the most prominent constellation in that slice. As you can see from the timeline above, the astronomical position of the Moon can’t really be sliced up evenly. The Moon rests in each constellation anywhere from a few days (Scorpio) to a month and a half (Virgo).

Thankfully, its winter and most of us aren’t out gardening right now anyway. I’m sure the scientists will get everything figured out for us before we pick up our trowels in the Spring.

New Year's Resolutions for Going Green

It's hard to feel the urgency to work on New Year's Gardening resolutions during the cold winter months. After all, it may be awhile before we can put most of them into practice.

But eventually, we will be able to walk outside in our shirt sleeves and start digging in the dirt again. So why not get a little head start on learning the whys and hows of going green in the garden?

Below are some suggestions for topics to dig a little deeper into for your green gardening resolutions.

1) Get to know the natives - Native plants are often an excellent choice for your landscape. Plants that are native to an area are adapted to deal with the local conditions. However, it is still important to keep in mind the principles of "right plant, right place." In other words, if you have a wet site, choose plants that like a little extra water. If your landscape is dry, choose plants accordingly. This post lists resources to provide information on local native plants.

2) Conserve Water - It is estimated that more than half of residential water use occurs outdoors. By making changes to some of our landscaping practices, we can all make a difference in water conservation. Group plants by their water requirements. Use drought tolerant plants . Cut down on the amount of lawn in the landscape since turfgrass is a water hog. Use rain barrels.

3) Cut out the chemicals - Chemicals used in a landscape are harmful to children, pets and local waterways. Learn to deal with weeds and pests in a more environmentally friendly way. Hand pull weeds, attract beneficial insects and create your own compost as a natural soil amendment.

4) Protect the groundwater - Everything that goes into the ground around your home has the potential of finding its way into local water supplies. Not just the chemicals listed above, but also pet waste and the chemicals we use to wash our cars. We can learn to eliminate chemicals, clean up after our pets, and direct downspouts into garden areas which can absorb the runoff. And never leave clippings or fertilizer on sidewalks, driveways or roads.

5) Garden for wildlife - Providing the four basic needs for wildlife - food, water, shelter and places to raise young - is a wonderful way to turn your landscape into a protective spot for local birds, bees and butterflies.

Should anyone else be able to tell you how you "should" garden?

I was reading a lawn and garden post called Green Yard Care Tips written by Alisa Gilbert this morning and this was the first sentence:

One responsibility of being a homeowner is keeping a clean, well-manicured yard.

I had to read that line a few times to see if I agreed with it in any way, and I have to say, I just don’t. (Although I do agree with some of the writer’s other tips, which I have listed below).

My personal opinion is that landscapes should NOT be forced into being well-manicured. In fact, I don’t believe that anyone else should try to tell a person what their yard should or shouldn’t look like at all, unless it is just a dangerous eyesore.

I think that leaves should be allowed to lay where they fall to provide nutrients to the soil and cover for crawling critters. I think that plants should be allowed to go to seed to provide food for passing birds. I think piles of rotting compost should be perfectly acceptable in any yard. And like the wild, uninhibited residents of DC who participated in the 4^th Annual No Pants Metro Ride this year, I think that native plants should be allowed to do their own thing in the garden.

If there is any “should-ing” to be done when it comes to gardens, I think that people should pay a little bit more attention to keeping poisons out of their yard and not wasting water and protecting our waterways. But when it comes to how you manicure your share of the earth, and what you wear when you do it, there really shouldn’t be any shoulding about it.

Excerpts from Green Yard Care Tips with my links added.

1) The author suggests that you ditch the lawn crew. Instead, I suggest that you find an eco-friendly one.

2) Use natural fertilizers and weed killers. Use natural pesticides and other insect prevention methods.

3) Make your own compost.

4) Do you use a gasoline lawnmower? If so, consider ways to offset that carbon footprint.

5) Understand the climate and what is best, naturally, for your yard.

Anyone can compost

Many people think that they can't compost because they don't have the room for it. However, there are new, smaller compost tumblers which make composting easy for everyone.

Composting is, of course, the process of turning food and plant wastes into valuable organic soil amendments.

This video, which I first saw on VOANews.com, shows local resident Christiana Aretta creating compost on her small apartment porch in Washington, D.C.



Aretta explains that no matter how big or small your garden is, you can still help keep waste out of the landfill by creating compost.

For those that don't have ANY backyard, Compost Cab can still help you to create compost.

Compost Cab is a new business which was started in March of 2010 to help more DC residents create compost.

They provide you with a container and instructions and then pick up your compost and deliver it to a nearby not-for-profit urban farm, where they’re transformed into the fertile soil needed to grow good, nutritious food for the local community. Everybody wins.

For more information about Compost Cab, visit their website.

And here is a link to the full article on Voice of America.

For links to many more articles on creating compost, see our resources page.

Selected Winter Garden Tips

The Home and Garden Information Center of the University of Maryland puts out a great e-newsletter. Here are a few of the gardening tips that they list for January in the home landscape.

Lawns
• Hand pull winter annual weeds to keep them from going to seed this spring. Some common annual weeds include chickweed , henbit , and dead nettle . Here are more tips for eco-friendly weed control.
• Avoid excessive walking on your grass when it is frozen to avoid damaging the crowns of your grass plants.  

Woody Ornamental Tips
• Protect shrubs from winter winds by surrounding them with burlap or cardboard, or constructing small, solid windbreaks located 18 inches from the plant on the windward side.
• Try to prevent snow and ice from building up on gutters and eaves above shrubs. Gently sweep snow loads off of shrubs to prevent breakage.
• Prune damaged branches.  


Fruit
• Fall bearing raspberries can be cut down to the ground. The spent fruiting canes of June bearers can also be removed now.
• Consider covering your strawberry patch with a piece of floating row cover. This material can help prevent winter injury and promote early growth in the spring.  

Vegetables and Herbs
• Plan for spring seeding now. Check the germination rate of old, questionable seed (see newsletter to learn how)  

Fertilizer
• Keep all ice melting materials away from landscape plants. Do not attempt to melt ice with granular garden fertilizers.

Mulch
• If you have not mulched your garden, apply mulch now to perennial beds, trees and shrubs. This will help to protect plant crowns and shallow root systems from severe cold weather.

Wildlife
• Keep bird feeders and baths cleaned and replenished throughout the winter months.

For more tips from this excellent newsletter, download the winter edition here.

Butterflies of DC

This list of butterflies of Washington, D.C. was created from the Butterflies and Moths of North America website. To create a list for a different area, use the scrollbars on their database search page.

Select the link for any butterfly for more information, including their preferred host and nectar plants.

Hesperiidae Skippers

Epargyreus clarus Silver-spotted Skipper

Urbanus proteus Long-tailed Skipper

Autochton cellus Golden Banded-Skipper

Achalarus lyciades Hoary Edge

Thorybes pylades Northern Cloudywing

Thorybes bathyllus Southern Cloudywing

Thorybes confusis Confused Cloudywing

Staphylus hayhurstii Hayhurst's Scallopwing

Erynnis icelus Dreamy Duskywing

Erynnis brizo Sleepy Duskywing

Erynnis juvenalis Juvenal's Duskywing

Erynnis horatius Horace's Duskywing

Erynnis martialis Mottled Duskywing

Erynnis zarucco Zarucco Duskywing

Erynnis baptisiae Wild Indigo Duskywing

Pyrgus centaureae Grizzled Skipper

Pyrgus communis Common Checkered-Skipper

Pholisora catullus Common Sootywing

Nastra lherminier Swarthy Skipper

Lerema accius Clouded Skipper

Ancyloxypha numitor Least Skipper

Thymelicus lineola European Skipper

Hylephila phyleus Fiery Skipper

Hesperia leonardus Leonard's Skipper

Hesperia metea Cobweb Skipper

Hesperia sassacus Indian Skipper

Atalopedes campestris Sachem

Polites peckius Peck's Skipper

Polites themistocles Tawny-edged Skipper

Polites origenes Crossline Skipper

Polites vibex Whirlabout

Wallengrenia otho Southern Broken-Dash

Wallengrenia egeremet Northern Broken-Dash

Pompeius verna Little Glassywing

Poanes hobomok Hobomok Skipper

Poanes zabulon Zabulon Skipper

Poanes viator Broad-winged Skipper

Poanes aaroni Aaron's Skipper

Euphyes bimacula Two-spotted Skipper

Euphyes vestris Dun Skipper

Atrytonopsis hianna Dusted Skipper

Amblyscirtes vialis Common Roadside-Skipper

Lerodea eufala Eufala Skipper

Calpodes ethlius Brazilian Skipper

Panoquina ocola Ocola Skipper

Papilionidae Parnassians and Swallowtails

Battus philenor Pipevine Swallowtail

Eurytides marcellus Zebra Swallowtail

Papilio polyxenes Black Swallowtail

Papilio glaucus Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Papilio troilus Spicebush Swallowtail

Papilio palamedes Palamedes Swallowtail

Papilio cresphontes Giant Swallowtail

Pieridae Whites and Sulphurs

Pontia protodice Checkered White

Pieris rapae Cabbage White

Anthocharis midea Falcate Orangetip

Colias philodice Clouded Sulphur

Colias eurytheme Orange Sulphur

Phoebis sennae Cloudless Sulphur

Eurema daira Barred Yellow

Pyrisitia lisa Little Yellow

Abaeis nicippe Sleepy Orange

Lycaenidae Gossamer-wing Butterflies

Feniseca tarquinius Harvester

Lycaena phlaeas American Copper

Lycaena hyllus Bronze Copper

Callophrys gryneus Juniper Hairstreak

Callophrys augustinus Brown Elfin

Callophrys irus Frosted Elfin

Callophrys henrici Henry's Elfin

Callophrys niphon Eastern Pine Elfin

Satyrium favonius Southern Hairstreak

Satyrium titus Coral Hairstreak

Satyrium edwardsii Edwards' Hairstreak

Satyrium calanus Banded Hairstreak

Calycopis cecrops Red-banded Hairstreak

Strymon melinus Gray Hairstreak

Parrhasius m album White M Hairstreak

Cupido comyntas Eastern Tailed-Blue

Celastrina ladon Spring Azure

Celastrina neglecta Summer Azure

Nymphalidae Brush-footed Butterflies

Libytheana carinenta American Snout

Danaus plexippus Monarch

Danaus gilippus Queen

Agraulis vanillae Gulf Fritillary

Euptoieta claudia Variegated Fritillary

Speyeria cybele Great Spangled Fritillary

Speyeria aphrodite Aphrodite Fritillary

Speyeria idalia Regal Fritillary

Chlosyne nycteis Silvery Checkerspot

Phyciodes tharos Pearl Crescent

Euphydryas phaeton Baltimore

Junonia coenia Common Buckeye

Polygonia interrogationis Question Mark

Polygonia comma Eastern Comma

Polygonia progne Gray Comma

Nymphalis antiopa Mourning Cloak

Vanessa atalanta Red Admiral

Vanessa cardui Painted Lady

Vanessa virginiensis American Lady

Limenitis arthemis Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral

Limenitis arthemis astyanax 'Astyanax' Red-spotted Purple

Limenitis archippus Viceroy

Asterocampa celtis Hackberry Emperor

Asterocampa clyton Tawny Emperor

Satyrodes appalachia Appalachian Brown

Megisto cymela Little Wood Satyr

Cercyonis pegala Common Wood Nymph

Butterflies of Maryland

This list of butterflies of Maryland was created from the Butterflies and Moths of North America website. To create a list for your specific county in Maryland, use the scrollbars on their database search page.
Select the link for any butterfly for more information, including their preferred host and nectar plants.

Hesperiidae Skippers

Epargyreus clarus Silver-spotted Skipper

Urbanus proteus Long-tailed Skipper

Urbanus dorantes Dorantes Longtail

Autochton cellus Golden Banded-Skipper

Achalarus lyciades Hoary Edge

Thorybes pylades Northern Cloudywing

Thorybes bathyllus Southern Cloudywing

Thorybes confusis Confused Cloudywing

Staphylus hayhurstii Hayhurst's Scallopwing

Erynnis icelus Dreamy Duskywing

Erynnis brizo Sleepy Duskywing

Erynnis juvenalis Juvenal's Duskywing

Erynnis horatius Horace's Duskywing

Erynnis martialis Mottled Duskywing

Erynnis zarucco Zarucco Duskywing

Erynnis baptisiae Wild Indigo Duskywing

Erynnis persius Persius Duskywing

Pyrgus centaureae Grizzled Skipper

Pyrgus communis Common Checkered-Skipper

Pholisora catullus Common Sootywing

Nastra lherminier Swarthy Skipper

Lerema accius Clouded Skipper

Ancyloxypha numitor Least Skipper

Thymelicus lineola European Skipper

Hylephila phyleus Fiery Skipper

Hesperia leonardus Leonard's Skipper

Hesperia metea Cobweb Skipper

Hesperia attalus Dotted Skipper

Hesperia sassacus Indian Skipper

Atalopedes campestris Sachem

Polites peckius Peck's Skipper

Polites themistocles Tawny-edged Skipper

Polites origenes Crossline Skipper

Polites mystic Long Dash

Polites vibex Whirlabout

Wallengrenia otho Southern Broken-Dash

Wallengrenia egeremet Northern Broken-Dash

Pompeius verna Little Glassywing

Anatrytone logan Delaware Skipper

Problema bulenta Rare Skipper

Poanes hobomok Hobomok Skipper

Poanes zabulon Zabulon Skipper

Poanes massasoit Mulberry Wing

Poanes viator Broad-winged Skipper

Poanes aaroni Aaron's Skipper

Euphyes pilatka Palatka Skipper

Euphyes conspicua Black Dash

Euphyes dion Dion Skipper

Euphyes bimacula Two-spotted Skipper

Euphyes vestris Dun Skipper

Atrytonopsis hianna Dusted Skipper

Amblyscirtes hegon Pepper and Salt Skipper

Amblyscirtes vialis Common Roadside-Skipper

Lerodea eufala Eufala Skipper

Oligoria maculata Twin-spot Skipper

Calpodes ethlius Brazilian Skipper

Panoquina panoquin Salt Marsh Skipper

Panoquina ocola Ocola Skipper

Papilionidae Parnassians and Swallowtails

Battus philenor Pipevine Swallowtail

Eurytides marcellus Zebra Swallowtail

Papilio polyxenes Black Swallowtail

Papilio glaucus Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Papilio appalachiensis Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail

Papilio troilus Spicebush Swallowtail

Papilio palamedes Palamedes Swallowtail

Papilio cresphontes Giant Swallowtail

Pieridae Whites and Sulphurs

Pontia protodice Checkered White

Pieris rapae Cabbage White

Pieris virginiensis West Virginia White

Ascia monuste Great Southern White

Euchloe olympia Olympia Marble

Anthocharis midea Falcate Orangetip

Colias philodice Clouded Sulphur

Colias eurytheme Orange Sulphur

Colias interior Pink-edged Sulphur

Zerene cesonia Southern Dogface

Phoebis sennae Cloudless Sulphur

Phoebis agarithe Large Orange Sulphur

Pyrisitia lisa Little Yellow

Abaeis nicippe Sleepy Orange

Lycaenidae Gossamer-wing Butterflies

Feniseca tarquinius Harvester

Lycaena phlaeas American Copper

Lycaena hyllus Bronze Copper

Lycaena epixanthe Bog Copper

Atlides halesus Great Purple Hairstreak

Callophrys hesseli Hessel's Hairstreak

Callophrys gryneus Juniper Hairstreak

Callophrys augustinus Brown Elfin

Callophrys polios Hoary Elfin

Callophrys irus Frosted Elfin

Callophrys henrici Henry's Elfin

Callophrys niphon Eastern Pine Elfin

Satyrium favonius Southern Hairstreak

Satyrium titus Coral Hairstreak

Satyrium acadica Acadian Hairstreak

Satyrium caryaevorus Hickory Hairstreak

Satyrium edwardsii Edwards' Hairstreak

Satyrium calanus Banded Hairstreak

Satyrium kingi King's Hairstreak

Satyrium liparops Striped Hairstreak

Calycopis cecrops Red-banded Hairstreak

Strymon melinus Gray Hairstreak

Parrhasius m album White M Hairstreak

Erora laeta Early Hairstreak

Cupido comyntas Eastern Tailed-Blue

Celastrina ladon Spring Azure

Celastrina lucia Northern Azure

Celastrina neglecta Summer Azure

Celastrina nigra Dusky Azure

Celastrina neglecta major Appalachian Azure

Celastrina idella American Holly Azure

Celastrina serotina Cherry Gall Azure

Glaucopsyche lygdamus Silvery Blue

Riodinidae Metalmarks

Calephelis virginiensis Little Metalmark

Calephelis borealis Northern Metalmark

Nymphalidae Brush-footed Butterflies

Libytheana carinenta American Snout

Danaus plexippus Monarch

Danaus gilippus Queen

Agraulis vanillae Gulf Fritillary

Heliconius charithonia Zebra Heliconian

Euptoieta claudia Variegated Fritillary

Speyeria diana Diana

Speyeria cybele Great Spangled Fritillary

Speyeria aphrodite Aphrodite Fritillary

Speyeria idalia Regal Fritillary

Speyeria atlantis Atlantis Fritillary

Boloria selene Silver-bordered Fritillary

Boloria bellona Meadow Fritillary

Chlosyne nycteis Silvery Checkerspot

Chlosyne harrisii Harris' Checkerspot

Phyciodes tharos Pearl Crescent

Phyciodes batesii Tawny Crescent

Euphydryas phaeton Baltimore

Junonia coenia Common Buckeye

Polygonia interrogationis Question Mark

Polygonia comma Eastern Comma

Polygonia progne Gray Comma

Aglais milberti Milbert's Tortoiseshell

Nymphalis vaualbum Compton Tortoiseshell

Nymphalis antiopa Mourning Cloak

Vanessa atalanta Red Admiral

Vanessa cardui Painted Lady

Vanessa virginiensis American Lady

Limenitis arthemis Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral

Limenitis arthemis arthemis White Admiral

Limenitis arthemis astyanax 'Astyanax' Red-spotted Purple

Limenitis archippus Viceroy

Asterocampa celtis Hackberry Emperor

Asterocampa clyton Tawny Emperor

Enodia anthedon Northern Pearly Eye

Satyrodes appalachia Appalachian Brown

Cyllopsis gemma Gemmed Satyr

Hermeuptychia sosybius Carolina Satyr

Megisto cymela Little Wood Satyr

Cercyonis pegala Common Wood Nymph