Yesterday it was that heroic Monarch that came to my Georgia garden. Imagine the rush for me, my garden, mostly planted with Georgia natives themselves hostplants for butterflies, is just beginning its 2nd year. She flew in, and spent more than one hour selecting milkweeds to deposit her eggs. When she had to couple will remain unknown.

Today, my eyes began their butterfly search work, when they spotted a tiny form flitting from one tiny yard bloom to the next. It didn’t fly like a diminutive moth, and when I approached, what did I see? It was a very tiny Red-Banded Hairstreak. Daddah! Its red band was not as showy as the one you see here, but today’s Red-Banded was fresh and not birdstruck.

Glassberg has them appearing “early spring.” That sure applies to the Red-Banded I saw today, April 3rd.

Another Red Banner day for my new Georgia garden, gifting me again with sweet butterflies months ahead of when I might have seen them 700 miles north, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The food in Georgia supermarkets is 27% cheaper. The clerks in local Post Offices greet you with a smile . . . and butterflies charm you, from February to late November. Just sayin.’

Jeff