Today while out planting Purple Coneflowers and other insect attracting flowers, I noticed that the small colony of Black Saddlebags (dragonfly) are once again hovering over the yard and the neighbour's yards on either side. This is the 3rd year in a row that I've seen them. Also today I had a Common Ringlet (butterfly) stop and rest for a few minutes in the yard before moving on, a first time backyard visitor for me. And the one that really surprised me was the possible sighting of a female Pipevine Swallowtail. A Monarch-sized all black butterfly with minimal markings along the back edge of the wings flew in to the yard and quickly turned and flew out. I'm leaning towards a female Pipevine because there is a major influx of them coming in to southern Ontario right now and at least one was seen in the city's west end today. My other option would be the more common female Black Swallowtail but something about this one just looked different. I guess I'll have to plant some Pipevine to attract these beauties to my yard. Oh, it never ends!
Walter
