Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly nectaring on Lyreleaf Sage
Earlier this month, I photographed this Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly feeding on a plant I hadn’t identified at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.
I edited the file to share here, dropped it on my desktop so I’d remember to ID the wildflower, then forgot about it. Life has a habit of getting busy, as you all know.
Yesterday I was working on other things and noticed the file because the same plant is blooming like crazy here in my yard. I’d taken a few cell phone images of the wildflowers and used a phone app and iNaturalist to identify the plant.
It is a Lyreleaf Sage, a member of the mint family, which is native to this area. Because Lyreleaf Sage tolerates frequent mowing and foot traffic, it can serve as a lawn substitute that also appeals to pollinators like bees and butterflies.
There are patches of Lyreleaf Sage at the refuge that are great spots to look for bees, butterflies, and more. Hopefully the patch where I took this image has gotten through all the stormy weather we’ve had lately. I can check that out today.
Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies prefer habitats where their host plants, spicebush and sassafras, are abundant. I’ve seen and identified sassafras on the refuge, but I need to look for spicebush.
If I can locate them, I might be able to find Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillars to photograph too. I’d enjoy that.
I’ve been seeing these swallowtails and other butterflies in the yard. The cloudy and rainy weather has been preventing me from getting out to take photos of them at home and in the field.
We are having a wet spring here but need the moisture. I’d just like a little more sunshine at home, even if it is only a half hour at a time!
Life is good.
Mia
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