Nature Is Speaking
My Garden: Passionflower Vine
I've been waiting all summer for this one particular passionflower vine to bloom. I've had it since May. I was standing outside on the fire escape talking to my neighbor, looked down, and it opened (just like that). I hadn't even noticed the bud! I am calling this garden magic.
Gardening provides substantial health benefits for the mind, body, and spirit. It helps keep me in a blissful Zen state (for the moment). Gardening is self-care, helping me to relax.
Dear Friends...Practice a little self-care this weekend. Hit the relax button and chill. Self-care doesn't have to be time consuming or expensive. – paerki
City Life: An Afternoon Walk
During my late afternoon walk I saw a pair of Monarch Butterflies mating. While they were in midair, I watched as one chased after the other. After several minutes, they landed on the grass. Shortly after, they were attached at their abdomens. A few minutes later, still attached, they took flight, flying through the air for several minutes only to land on a milkweed plant. – paerki
(Monarchs mate by joining together end to end at their abdomens. When they mate, they remain together from one afternoon until early the next morning, often up to 16 hours. During the mating process, when their bodies are joined, the male passes sperm to the female. As the eggs later pass through the female's egg-laying tube, they are fertilized by the sperm. The adult male butterfly dies six to eight weeks after all of the sperm has been depleted from their body.
Male butterflies are ready to mate one hour after emerging from the pupa. They frequently will mate with a female butterfly as soon as she begins emerging from her pupa, even helping her to remove herself from it. The male mates with her immediately. This tactic of mating is easier on the male. The female is not able to fly away yet, it takes about one hour for her wings to dry after emerging from the pupa, giving the male the opportunity to mate with her. Adult male butterflies use up their sperm during adulthood by mating with a variety of female butterflies. – Gardening For Wildlife)
I've been waiting all summer for this one particular passionflower vine to bloom. I've had it since May. I was standing outside on the fire escape talking to my neighbor, looked down, and it opened (just like that). I hadn't even noticed the bud! I am calling this garden magic.
Gardening provides substantial health benefits for the mind, body, and spirit. It helps keep me in a blissful Zen state (for the moment). Gardening is self-care, helping me to relax.
Dear Friends...Practice a little self-care this weekend. Hit the relax button and chill. Self-care doesn't have to be time consuming or expensive. – paerki
City Life: An Afternoon Walk
During my late afternoon walk I saw a pair of Monarch Butterflies mating. While they were in midair, I watched as one chased after the other. After several minutes, they landed on the grass. Shortly after, they were attached at their abdomens. A few minutes later, still attached, they took flight, flying through the air for several minutes only to land on a milkweed plant. – paerki
(Monarchs mate by joining together end to end at their abdomens. When they mate, they remain together from one afternoon until early the next morning, often up to 16 hours. During the mating process, when their bodies are joined, the male passes sperm to the female. As the eggs later pass through the female's egg-laying tube, they are fertilized by the sperm. The adult male butterfly dies six to eight weeks after all of the sperm has been depleted from their body.
Male butterflies are ready to mate one hour after emerging from the pupa. They frequently will mate with a female butterfly as soon as she begins emerging from her pupa, even helping her to remove herself from it. The male mates with her immediately. This tactic of mating is easier on the male. The female is not able to fly away yet, it takes about one hour for her wings to dry after emerging from the pupa, giving the male the opportunity to mate with her. Adult male butterflies use up their sperm during adulthood by mating with a variety of female butterflies. – Gardening For Wildlife)
