In our old home, we used to have a water feature with several native plants around the area. We had done a project to attract more wildlife, primarily pollinators. One of the plants we added was a Pride of Barbados (Caesalpinia pulcherrima). Besides being deer-resistant, this perennial is an excellent addition to any Texas garden because it can withstand scorching summer heat. Its orange and red flowers bloom all summer without needing a lot of water. The plant is also drought-resistant.
As I was planting the Pride of Barbados in these photos, I noticed that a Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) butterfly was friendly and unafraid of my presence. It was really within under 2 feet (0.6 meters) from me. Since I had my cell phone handy, I snapped some shots as the butterfly delighted with those flowers.
Of course, I was pleased to see the fruits of our labor paying off instantly. These butterflies and others continued to visit the Pride of Barbados, Lantana, and Turks Cap (see photo here) plants. Besides cardinals, titmice, and chickadees, that garden was a stopping point for several pollinators.
That’s the story behind the shots. If you liked these photos, you might also be interested in other posts featuring Butterflies, Gulf Fritillary, Pride of Barbados, Turks Cap, Wildflowers, and Wildlife. Until the next time, keep clicking and capturing the beauty your eyes find.
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Anne Sandler
Beautiful capture Egidio! I hope they visit your current home also.
Egidio Leitao
Much gratitude, Anne. I hope, too. I’ll need to change some of the plants here to be more butterfly-friendly. The previous owner did not seem to care for that.
restlessjo
What a lovely combination they make, Egidio.
Egidio Leitao
Thank you, Jo.
Marie
The combination of the plant color and the butterfly color is fascinating. The meld into each other.
Egidio Leitao
Marie, that is an excellent observation. Maybe that is why they like Pride of Barbados. They can hide in plain sight. Thanks for writing.
Leanne Cole
Ooh I love the butterflies, they are so beautiful Egidio.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Leanne. They are beautiful creatures.
Lindy Le Coq
Lovely butterfly shots!
Egidio Leitao
Thank you very much, Lindy. I like those butterflies a lot, especially for their colors.