Butterflies, and a surprise

We (my daughter and I) recently had the pleasure and privilege of attending the annual Carolina Butterfly Society's Butterfly Symposium, an event that alternates between North and South Carolina on a yearly basis.  The host site was the South Carolina Botanical Garden and Education Center at Clemson University.

The program for the day showcased local resources - Clemson professors, Botanical Garden staff & volunteers, and local native plant nursery Carolina Wild.

After an introduction and welcome we were treated to a presentation by Patrick McMillan, Clemson professor and host of Expeditions on SC-ETV.  Patrick currently functions as the Interim Director of the SCBG.  His topic was "Nature on the Move", focusing on areas of resilience, how nature changes over time, and how species suffer or thrive depending on environmental conditions.

Joe Culin, former chair of the Entomology Department at Clemson, presented on the spiritual and religious significance of butterflies throughout the history of various cultures around the world.  Learning the superstition involved in calling Lepidoptera "butterflies" seems comical in many regards, but the etiology is truly fascinating. 

Christi Bruner from Carolina Wild presented the group with examples of larval host plants native to the area.  Her hard work in developing a catalog of indigenous plant for gardeners interested in attracting butterflies throughout their life cycle will prove invaluable to gardeners in Upstate SC.

Of course, any trip to a garden necessarily includes a garden tour and since this one involved butterflies and butterfliers . . . lots of cameras showed up with numerous comments about the number of species, identification of them, and gracious tours by John & Carolyn Turner and Lisa Wagner.

Pipevine Swallowtail

Pipevine Swallowtails seldom sit still to nectar.  Thus the fluttering wings.


Female Monarch

Male monarch butterflies have a spot (it's really a scent gland) on the hindwing.

Monarchs seem to be the most recognizable butterfly species by the general public due to many years of research and more than a few educational films about them.

Butterflies, of course, don't start off as butterflies.  They start off as eggs, which become caterpillars.  The orange ones below are Gulf Fritillary cats feeding on passionflower, or maypop - that's what I grew up calling it, anyway. 

If you ever pick up one of these from your fennel bush, it's gonna make your hands stink.  It's a Black Swallowtail caterpillar devouring the sacrificial fennel bush planted just for that purpose.

And then there's the surprise.

How you get up there?

This little toad was in the opening on an ashcan at the entrance to the Education Center, spotted by another attendee at the symposium.

During the brief tour there were numerous butterfly species identified - I don't have a complete list, but upwards of 20 species and well over 100 individual specimens.

Certainly a wonderful day of learning and lectures and the discovery of a new treasure in Upstate South Carolina is always a good thing!  If you ever get towards Clemson (for anything other than some overcrowded sports event) make certain to check out the Botanical Garden and specifically the Butterfly Garden.