Spring is here!

Ok, well actually it feels a bit more like summer. Arizona gracefully opted to skip the mild season and head straight into $300/month air conditioning bills. That being said, the plants and animals around here have decided its spring. My allergies are certainly feeling it.

And when there is pollen there are pollinators. After all, something has to act as the genitalia in this giant plant sex fest going on here...how else would anything grow? This means that I am seeing countless hummingbirds, verdin, bees and of course, butterflies of all types.


In addition to our native species, our local garden brings in a nice selection from farms in Florida to enjoy our nicest time of year in a beautiful, well planted aviary where they are safe and respected. Its quite a pleasure to see.

They get new species in every week. This week, in addition to zebra longwings, cabbage butterflies, and painted ladys, they added in the spicebush swallowtail, admirals and even a couple luna moths.

I am glad to see the general public take interest and be educated, and also to have a chance at some interesting subjects I would not otherwise see in my area unless they were a long way from home.

They offer this program in spring up until it gets too warm- and then again with monarchs only during their fall migration through Arizona into Mexico. The specimens they find then are tagged and released.

Something about spring always makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. For now, we will assume that fuzzy feeling is my sinuses begging for mercy.