MONARCHS & MUD PUDDLES
Howdy Friends! Monarchs have always been one of our favorite butterflies. We sadly never seem to see very many though. One here, or there, if we’re real lucky maybe several will float through the yard. It may even stop to investigate one or more of Robbie’s flowers.
I was on my third cup of coffee this morning, Fluffernutter had jumped from my lap a while ago to go do whatever a fluffy cat does as she roams the outbacks of Rosie’s woodland retreat. Rosie was happily tugging hay through the tiny holes in her hay net. Lady snored. It was a drowsy, quiet, peaceful morning in the barn. A lone Cardinal offered a tune, every now and then, but mostly the still air carried no sound. Robbie had gone on an errand in town. Comfortably settled in my chair, I was watching “the puddle” as I sipped my coffee next to my mare. In a chair that might be as old as the commonwealth.
At wood’s edge outside Rosie’s barn a small puddle had been born during rains and storms. It’s a persistent puddle, lasting for weeks after passing storms. I’ve been known to add water from time to time, just to keep it hanging around. It seems everybody loves that tiny, muddy pond. Our chickens seem often to prefer drinking from it rather than their clean and fresh waterers.
Most the song birds drop by and can be seen drinking or splashing there on occasion. The Phoebes collect mud from the water’s edge for their nests. Squirrels drink from it, and toads bask in it. Our kitties, Fluffernutter and Bullet steal a few laps of the tongue from time to time. Actually Fluffernutter loves it. Her drink of choice is a few swigs of red water from the, “puddle.” Except to avoid it, Rosie makes certain to let me know, “she’s never noticed it.”
Recent thunderstorms made, Rosie’s puddle more popular than usual. During Coffee Clutch I’ve watched dragonflies, lizards and even bees refresh there. Quite the watering hole.
Butterflies really enjoy it, they walk along the damp earth in their search for minerals. Dark blue Spicebush and the graceful Yellow Swallow Tails are daily visitors.
Today we had two special guests at the “Cheers” of puddles. A frisky squirrel had just swiped a slurp as it darted by when two rusty orange, black stripped beautiful Monarchs floated silently down to settle on the red clay boarder of the puddle. What a treat!
Not one but two majestic Monarchs. They entertained me for several minutes as they scoured the red mud for, whatever butterflies scour red mud for. Frolicking in their mud dabbing adventure giving me a show for at least five minutes!
Did you know that Monarchs migrate generationally and that
the ones we see here never make back to their wintering grounds in Mexico? But rather their decedents do. Robbie’s herb garden is not only for a supply of fresh kitchen herbs, which she is using today as she makes a batch of her world famous spaghetti sauce, but also host plants for caterpillars.
Monarchs love Milkweed & Dogbane. So be sure to plant some if you want them to visit. Yellow Swallowtails love Dill and Fennel. If you love butterflies be sure to research the plants they need for the caterpillar stage and grow some for them. You can visit greenhouses or farmers markets to get plants to get started.
And be sure to build yourself a puddle!
God Bless and happy puddle watchin’! ~ Gitty Up, Dutch.
