So here goes, my first post to my blog.

I've been writing a monthly nature newsletter for my neighbors since January of this year as a Texas Master Naturalist Good Water Chapter individual project. I absolutely love being a part of this volunteer group. My goal with this project is to expose and educate my neighbors to the nature immediately around them that they would most likely pass by. It's literally "Nature, in your backyard". <-- Snazzy right?

I stayed true to my personal goal and only used pictures of butterflies I either took in my suburban postage stamp sized yard or in the neighborhood park. October's issue was all about the "Butterflies of HuttoParke". There were pictures of 22 confirmed species. I've since spotted two new species in my yard. Native Plants people. That post will be for another day. Let all that sink in for a second, 24 species. 

With all the stooping, hiding and holding my breath to get unadulterated pics of the butterflies, I wondered, where do they all go at night?

I had a few that were, thankfully, pretty obvious to find. I've only found a few so far, but it's been a neat experience and worth the try if you've never looked before. Dusk and dawn are the best times to look. That's also when the mosquitoes come out, but they live here too. Did you know the male mosquitoes are pollinators? Now of course you can just spray water on your plants and be mean but I wanted to find them in their undisturbed nappy time state.

So where do they go? Take a look at what I found in my own yard:

Two Queen and one Monarch roosting together for the night in an oak tree. Interesting right?

A couple of Gulf Fritillary butterflies sleeping on a spent Common Sunflower plant. Can you find them all? 3 at least.

Two Queen Butterflies at sunset in a Live Oak tree

I see you, Hackberry Emperor butterfly!

They don't venture far from their food, which makes a lot of sense considering typical suburban landscape doesn't have much to offer for these little guys. Pretty neat little bit of backyard adventuring there. You could do this anywhere that has a garden. Chances are you'll find something.
I hope you get out there and find some of these little flappy treasures.