Hi,
My name is Ken, and I have been checking out your website for a short time, and it is very informative, thanks. We live in GA. and you are the closest NABA Chapter to us. I would like to start my own, but I have not received any word from NABA. Can you help? My wife and I are butterfly lovers, and have a fairly large butterfly garden. We have just started see a few more butterflies. I found two Tiger Swallowtail caterpillars yesterday, and found four more today. Also saw my first Monarch today along with a black Swallowtail. I’ve been taking a lot of pictures today. You have a great website, thanks.
Ken

I found a black swallowtail caterpillar yesterday, and I collected it for my neice and her mother to rear. Could you please give me some tips on how to go about making sure it makes it to butterfly phase. Also I think it may be molting, it has made a small amount of silk on the side of the plastic container and it is sitting still stuck to that spot. It isn’t coming out of it’s skin yet. Do you think that it is molting?

Hey Rita,
Things are looking great here. I counted 7 Yellow Tiger Swallowtails, 4 Black Swallowtails, 1 Red Spotted Purple, 1 Red Admiral, 4 Monarch, 1 Orange Sulfur, and 6 Painted Ladies. Thanks for your help!!

Ken

I am a parent volunteer for St. George’s Independent School in Collierville, TN. We are hoping to install a butterfly garden this month. I was hoping to find information on specific plants and butterflies for the West Tennessee, Memphis area. Is there a NABA for West TN? Do you know where I can get this specific information? Thank you, Dawn (901) 371-1931

We were in the Pigeon Forge area for five days in April (22-27). We noticed there were lots of butterflies all along the roadway through the National Forrest. Does this happen each year? We took several pictures of Canada Geese sitting beside large clusters of butterflies on the road and flocks of butterflies flying around the Canada Geese. Is there some attraction between the geese and the butterflies? I have never seen so many butterflies in one place. It was absolutely beautilful.

Last week I spotted a male Diana Fritillary in Hardeman County, TN. The site is about 10 miles East of Bolivar, which is outside of the range maps I’ve seen for this species. I’m curious if anyone knows where I can check the county records for species sightings, or if there’s anywhere that I should post butterfly sightings.

Thanks!

Beth Summers
UT Knoxville Wetlands Lab

Can you tell me the best place to find some milkweed that Monarch caterpillars eat near Thompson’s Station/Spring Hill in TN?
Thanks.
I need to know as soon as possible.
Blessings,
Laurie

Can someone tell me when I should be seeing butterflies. I am hard at work on a butterfly garden (been working on it for about 2 years now)but I do not see them yet. I had one small yellow one the other day. But none since. I am in sumner county TN.

I also haven’t seen any humming birds. I know it has been colder this year than in the past. We had a freeze warning in May and our nights have been chilly.

Just wondering.

You should be seeing at least some butterflies in your garden by now, but if your garden is like mine, there are not nearly as many butterflies there as there were this time last year. I don’t know why. Wish I knew. Keep working, however, and perhaps some late comers will show up eventually. We can only hope.

Are there any opportunities for artists to show their work with you at a location or an annual art show? Please advise. Thanks!

Mary, we do not currently have this type of opportunity with our local club. The national organization at naba.org, however, holds photography and art contests in alternating years. Check their website for more information.

Are you an observer/photographer only or a collector?