Monarch Butterfly

Let me take you back to your childhood. This is a Monarch Butterfly caterpillar chowing down on some milkweed.

2-26-09

Sanibel Sea Shells

Sanibel beaches are famous for shells. I took a
course at the Shell Museum where we photographed
different whelks in varying conditions.
2-28-09

Monarch Butterfly

This is a Monarch Chrysillis - note the gold crown on the upper right side. 2-27-09

Monarch Butterfly

This is the newborn Monarch.
2-25-09

Monarch Butterfly

After birth the Monarch sits in the sun to dry its wings
before it can fly.
2-24-09

Indian Hawthorne

Raphiolepsis indica A flowering evergreen shrub in the Rosaceae family. From Sanibel Florida via southern China. This is "Clara" with white blooms.
2-23-09

Morning Glory

Morning Glory (Convoloulus) The flower opens in
the morning and lasts for a single day. It is a successful
re-seeder. From Sanibel.
2-22-09

Pansy

Also pansy violet. Pansies are hybrid cultivars
derived by crossing various Viola species with
Viola tricolor by English gardener William
Thompson starting in 1813.
2-21-09

Hibiscus

Hibiscus - Sanibel Island
2-21-09

Lantana

Lantana montevidensis. Also shrub verbena.
This is a tropical and subtropical flowering plant
whose flowers grow in colorful clusters called umbels.
2-21-09

Sanibel Birds

The Moorings is on the beach where there are
many kinds of birds including Sandpipers (Calidris mauri)
which dart in and out of the breaking waves and
Royal Terns (Sterna maxima) which stand regally
head to the wind in large social groups.
2-20-09

To Sanibel Island

In February Jan and I drove south to Florida where
we stay at the Sanibel Moorings Resort on Sanibel
Island. The resort has spectacular palntings and
gardens. We were joined by my brother David and
his wife Frances(upper photo).
2-19-09