Tiger swallowtails have been all over the button bush flowers at the pond.
Button Bush Flowers
Button bush is a 3-5-foot-tall shrub that grows near water throughout the tallgrass prairie region. We find them at the edge of our pond. The white flowers are an inch wide, and we see them from June to September. Native Americans used the bark and leaves for a variety of conditions, including fevers, coughs, toothaches, menstrual flow, and urinary and GI problems. In preparing these notes on wildflowers, I’ve come to realize that Native Americans used all the plants for something. A great deal of trial and error in the process, I suspect.
Button bush flowers attract a variety of insects, including tiger swallowtails. If you look closely at the button bush photo, you will see a honeybee and a skipper butterfly on the flowers.
Tiger Swallowtail
The tiger swallowtail is possibly our most familiar butterfly. It is equally at home in the woods and in gardens. We see them from spring to fall.
The male has bright yellow wings with black stripes.
Females can be either yellow or black and will have iridescent blue on the hindwings.
Take care,
David
