Hackberry Emperor, Spicebush Swallowtails and first full week of school ...

I saw the second Monarch butterfly (a female) on Saturday while a former exchange student Vivien (Germany)  was here looking at our flower beds.  She was a student at AC-S HS two years ago and is back visiting her host family and friends.  She at lunch with Sue Neal and I on Saturday.  Vivien had great stories about visiting Cuba last year and the schools in Germany.  I saw a third Monarch this afternoon passing through our yard.  I think it is early for the migration back ???

There are still plenty of swallowtails visiting our wildflowers.  Some are showing some wear but there seems to be a new wave of Spicebush swallowtails (female below, males are more greenish instead of blue).  They are difficult to get a picture of since they flutter their wings constantly when visiting flowers.  This one paused on one of our late blooming butterfly weed (a milkweed) plants planted this year.

This Hackberry Emperor butterfly landed on my wrist to take in some salt (from sweat).  It stayed there long enough for me to walk from the garden to my truck to get my camera and take a couple of pictures.  They are a bold butterfly, frequently landing on humans.  I have had few land on me this summer looking a salty treat.

This week, we are starting our first full week of school.  Tomorrow we will meet all eight classes for about a half an hour each (except for fifth period ... lunch) which will be an hour.

In AP Biology we will be starting our study of biochemistry and continue our regeneration lab.

Selected Topics will be starting a biology unit while continuing their planarian lab.

Computer Programming will be working on our first four Karel programs.