I'm just an amateur snapper who found the cropping app on his phone lol.
My main thing is raising and releasing these beauties, as well as restoring habitat, educating people and giving out as much Milkweed as I can grow. Pix are a wonderful way to share Nature's wonders with others.

@Leafhead I too love butterflies and have planted milkwed all over my yard. Living in Florida its doing great most of the yr. One day will post pix.

@J-MaisOui
Man do I miss Florida!!
I could garden year round, and I especially miss such Leps as Zebra Longwings, Polydamas Swallowtails, and especially those little black moths that feed on Breynia (Snow-on-the-Mountain) in the Spring (Snowcap Spanworm?)
Have you tried planting Cassia, Passion vine and Aristolochia vine? And letting bugger-ticks grow in the periphery of the lawn will bring beautiful Long Tailed Skippers. Cannas will bring in Brazilian Skippers, but get eaten a lot by the larvae.
Pix will be greatly appreciated indeed
I'll be sending more Pix from the Midwest as I snap them

@J-MaisOui
PS: Try planting some White Vine (Sarcostemma) on a fence or trellis. Give it ROOM. Will bring Soldiers (Danaus eresima), relatives of Monarchs.
Likes rocky, alkaline soil. Zone II salt tolerance.

Thank you

Oh, and I am growing Milkweek, including native varieties and Mexican flame vine. ♥

@CaroleKay

I've been to all the gardening and critter sites, Inc butterfly sites. But I feel as though I am preaching to the choir.
I like to get other people involved, even if they are not so "green"

@CaroleKay
Mexican Flame Vine is excellent

@Leafhead Totally understand. ♥

A friend found a Polyphemus cocoon while gardening. I kept it until it eclosed.

@Leafhead Nice. What do you have in the way of host plants for a them?
/has long wished to have enough space to plant various trees for this kind of thing

@Qualia
Around here Polyphemus tends to go after birch, though I read it will lay on several trees, including Black Cherry and walnut.
The birch tree is actually a "commandeered" tree on my neighbors property.

Try some Milkweed native to your area, some Fennel or dill, parsley, Everlasting and Pussytoes.
Holly hocks and globe thisles for Ladies. Nettles for Red Admirals. Depending on your location, Wild Black Cherry for Tigers and Red Spotted Purples in the Midwest, and Tulip Tree on the East Coast.

@Leafhead Have Hollyhocks Fennel adn Dill and Nettles but I am in Northern Ireland and maybe our climate isn't as great as yours

@jacpod
My best advice is to Google butterflies in your area and read up on what they eat. A few native Irish wildflowers will provide nectar, and host plants will support the caterpillars

@Leafhead thankyou will do!

Milkweed blooms are a huge bonus. They ooze nectar, and attract all pollinators. The foliage itself is the fodder for Monarch caterpillars, and the butterfly will seldom lay on a plant in full bloom, with all the pollinator traffick. She will seek younger plants and plants in leaf or in bud rather than in bloom. The little guys like the undersides of leaves and especially new growth. You'll notice their presence as little crescents nibbled into the leaf.
Monarchs in Fall migration care nothing for Milkweed as it is out of bloom at this time, and woody. Migrating butterflies need nectar to fuel their trip south to Mexico.
Zinnias, Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia), Liatris and Goldenrod are all fall blooming plants full of nectar.

You asked for it....

1. One of my releases
2. My fave, at least one of them. The Baltimore Checkerspot
3. Milkweed Longhorn Beetle. We don't always see eye to eye, but I guess they were here first.
4. Ermine Moth. Love that porch light!
5. Red Spotted Purple, another fave

I really need to get my head out of the dirt and get computer savvy in this information age! The Internet is a perfect medium for spreading the news. That news is not good for the Monarch Butterflies, not to mention the bees.
I do need my own website. All I can navigate at this point are smaller forums like these, and word of mouth, including talks and giveaways.
While our selfish farmers won't give an inch, and poison us all in the process, homeowners can step in and provide. It doesn't take much, if everyone participates. Inform your neighbors. If you rent, approaching your landlord with savings on what would be a lawn service (cancel), along with involved partners taking over gardening "chores" has a HUGE impact. I do it wherever I have rented, at no reduction in rent.
What landlord can refuse???

Thank you so much!
Got Milkweed? Any corner of the yard will do, and Common is far from the only species out there.
There are well mannered and even attractive Milkweeds. Look into a list of native species in your area.