Books & Butterflies

Summertime is for butterflies!

I’ve always been fascinated with the butterflies that visit our farm, especially the showstopper of summer, the yellow swallowtail butterfly:

I recently read Gene Stratton-Porter’s classic novel A Girl of the Limberlost. Published in 1909, the story features Elnora Comstock, a young naturalist who navigates life and love while searching for valuable insects in the Limberlost swamp of eastern Indiana.

I loved the descriptions of the dragonflies, moths, and butterflies and in this book. We’re lucky to see lots of these here in the summer, including the beautiful monarch butterflies.

If you’re interested in attracting butterflies, try planting bee balm, snapdragons, or lilacs—swallowtails in particular seem to love these flowers (and so do bees and moths)!

What are your favorite types of insects? Feel free to leave a comment!