Red Admiral Influx
Location: Central MN
May 5, 2012 3:05 pm
Hi Bug Nuts!
To add to you Red Admiral explosion file: Even our St. Franny statue attracts them!
In over fifty years of watching butterflies – and frequently bemoaning the poor populations of butterflies during our wet, cold Minnesota springs – I have never seen butterfly numbers like this. They are a constant stream through our country now. I’m so glad they’re as striking a species as the red admiral. I hope I don’t get tired of them!
And it is not just the red admirals. I saw 12 species on the 30th of April, including monarchs.
Thanks for celebrating this ”buggy” spring!
Don J. Dinndorf
St. Augusta, MN
Signature: Don J. Dinndorf
Hi Don,
Thank you so much for writing in with your Red Admiral sighting. Though he was a lover of nature and he is recognized as the patron saint of animals, we doubt that the Red Admiral pictured on the statue of St Francis has anything to do with the butterfly’s reverence for the saint. Red Admirals often seek sunny locations on lawn furniture and other objects where they soak up the heat.
You are a funny man, Daniel!
The best spots in our yard for butterfly photography are those very good sunning spots when the sun gets low in the western sky, especially a big willow near our vegetable garden.
Cheers!
Don