Saturday, December 10, 2022

Unseasonal Sad Surprise


Yesterday morning I was surprised to see a beautiful, just-hatched swallowtail butterfly clinging to a decorative piece of bittersweet vine in one of my orchids. My delight at this almost magical appearance--its empty cocoon was attached to the dead vine--quickly changed to sadness. December is no time for butterflies, even though the weather is mild. I mourn the waste--butterflies are increasingly rare and this one won't have a chance to reproduce. 

Not knowing what else to do, I took the poor critter--which was beginning to fan its wings-- into the greenhouse and set it on a plant. There's no future for it here either, but perhaps its end will be gentler, surrounded by green plants.




 

7 comments:

Elizabeth Varadan, Author said...

What a thoughtful thing to do for the butterfly.

jennyfreckles said...

Ah, beautiful but sad. I think nature is confounded by all our weather changes.

Barbara Rogers said...

What a wonderful gift, a December swallowtail. It's beauty was just for you...though you are so thoughtful you are more concerned about its own life. That she might have her short existance in a greenhouse is a gift returned. I know...it's all this season of gifts in my head today.

Sandra Parshall said...

So sad. A couple years ago a hummingbird that is not even native to this area showed up in cold weather at a local park. The staff created a warm place for her, with a heat lamp, and provided nectar throughout the winter, and she survived. In spring she left, and we can only hope she found her proper migration path. Butterflies, alas, have very short lives even in the proper season. Let us know what happens to yours.

Marcia said...

No milkweed to feed it I imagine. How sad.

Anvilcloud said...

Did I comment and miss? I tried to but I think something happened. I just wanted to comment you for taking the best auction possible.

Boud said...

I'm wondering if there's one of those butterfly sanctuaries near you? It might be that he'll pass his short life on your plants though.