Fall Blooms, I neglected to post earlier

Ariocarpus fissuratus

Ariocarpus fissuratus

Even ocotillos have fall colors.

Mountain Sage - Salvia regla, from the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park. 

Mountain Sage - Salvia regla

Vervain, lightning and a living rock.

Verbena halei  (Texas vervain) - This Texas native loves the cactus bed environment.





Ariocarpus fissuratus - An incredibly slow growing native cactus that lives in far South and far West Texas.  This small cactus could easily be 25 years old.  I have had it for 4 years and have not seen any appreciable increase in size.



Ariocarpus fissuratus

Queens vs Soldiers

How can you tell whether the butterfly in your garden is a Queen Butterfly (Danaus gilippus) or a Soldier Butterfly (Danaus eresimus)?  Here are a few good sites with better diagnostic illustrations and descriptions than I have provided here:  butterflyfunfacts.com, www.greatstems.com.  I was surprised to learn that most of the butterflies that come to my blue mistflower plants each fall are actually Soldier Butterflies.



Queen Butterfly (Danaus gilippus) or Soldier Butterfly (Danaus eresimus)?  The lack of white spots in FW postmedian area points to this one being a Soldier.  Most guide books don't put Soldier's beyond a few strays this far North...Global Warming maybe?, there are tons around my house in the fall.




Queen Butterfly in front with a Solider Butterfly behind.



This one is a male (see dark scent patches) and a Soldier (see white faint spots in hind wing).



Danaus eresimus, Soldier Butterfly



Ariocarpus fissuratus



Danaus gilippus, Queen Butterfly