The butterflies were feeling frisky today

They sipped from the Buddleja for short periods and then paired up for whirling dances. Courtship, I guess, though I didn't actually see anything X-rated. Anyway they seemed like they were enjoying the day!

This old butterfly bush was wild collected in China, or at least the seeds from which it was grown were. It was in the collection twenty years ago during my first tenure and I recall it seeding itself very energetically. This year we've allowed half a dozen seedling to reach six feet but we'll remove them next year. The butterflies will never know who did it.

Abelia chinensis in China Valley

I've been missing the butterflies these past few weeks. Usually you can depend on these shrubs to supply at least three butterflies per shrub (I think we have 5 of them) at any given time from mid July to late August. But not lately.

Today though they, the butterflies, were in good supply. We had almost 3/4 of an inch of rain this morning and it brought them out from wherever they'd been hiding.