Today I would like to focus mainly on the small butterfly on the Geraniums from my last post. I wasn't sure of the ID, but my good friend Nick Morgan, told me what it is. He has a butterfly blog and is very knowledgeable about butterflies like his father before him. A few other faithful visitors to my blog also mentioned it in somewhat unfavourable terms, without giving me the ID. I did some research of my own and discovered that it is considered a pest. It is named the Geranium Bronze, and is a native of Southern Africa, it has however been introduced to Mediterranean and Europe where it has spread as a pest of cultivated Geraniums. It is believed that it was accidentally imported on Geranium plants.
The Geranium Bronze has distinctive underside markings.
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36 comments:
From the name, I thought of the geranium flower and thought it would be a bright color -- maybe red or similar. What a delightful surprise. It is quite lovely and rather petite!
Hello dear Sonjia,
They are very beautiful, and your photos are so crisp and clear. The male butterfly has a lovely bronze color. In your last post I think I spotted a camellia? Do they bloom right now at your place?
Many hugs, and all the best to you!
each time i see a great photo of a grasshopper, or snails and other things like this butterfly, my first thought is they are pests, but they are still beautiful to see. something has eaten all the leaves off my little tree that is in a pot in front yard. sorry about the geraniums... just had a thought, bunnies are cute and they eat flowers, so do deer..
It is a nice looking butterfly, and not one I'd previously heard of.
All the best Jan
It is an excitement to identify anything in nature. The butterfly does look like a Persian carpet!
Hi Sonjia,
It will be interesting to see how much damage these Geranium Bronzes do to your Geraniums. I hope it isn't too bad. These butterflies have spread around the Mediterranean over the last 15 or 20 years and are now reasonably common. However, I still see a lot of Geraniums growing well. It will be really interesting to hear what you find, as you will know how well your Geraniums did before the butterfly arrived with you.
I have spotted a Geranium Bronze egg in the second last picture on the bud below the one with the hole in it!
Funnily enough, I plant plants here that I know that butterfly caterpillars will eat!! But that is because I am really keen to encourage more butterflies here!! We have a lot of Nasturtiums for Large Whites and Small Whites to lay eggs on, and Honesty for Orange Tips. So far, they haven't done much damage and my wife is none-the-wiser!!
...I believe that our butterflies have gone on their southern vacation. A few cabbage white flit around the garden. Take care and be well.
Interesting post Sonjia, I learn something new every day. Thankyou and take care.
Mike.
It is wonderful having people help us ID things!
It is too bad it destroys geraniums. It is rather handsome though.
Hello Sonjia. I had never heard of this butterfly and I don't know if it has found its way to Britain. As an accidental introduction it is not so bad as the animals and other things that are introduced by man. But thanks for the info, and have a good weekend.
It is a beautiful butterfly.
Too bad it damages the geraniums.
Greetings Irma
An interesting, beautifully illustrated, and informative post about the Geranium Bronze, Sonjia. I hope that you do not find it a difficult choice between the welfare of the butterfly or the welfare of your geraniums. For me, as someone keen on the preservation of wildlife, it would be the butterfly that I'd want to safeguard, but I guess that I should also consider that this appears to have been an introduced alien species. However, maybe the geraniums are also introduced aliens?!
My very best wishes - stay safe - - - Richard
Good morning, Sonjia:
This is the eternal problem with introduced species. Beautiful though it is, it must be a disaster for the gardener who loves geraniums, to say nothing of commercial growers. It’s hard to know how to stop this trend of invasive species given the scope of international travel and international trade in the 21st century. I have been in countries where I have had to wash off my footwear before boarding a plane but it’s hard not to accept that a few seeds or insect larvae get unwittingly transported to places they shouldn’t be. Enjoy the butterfly would be my advice and plant a few geraniums for it, and other flowers to beautify your garden. Stay well, take care of that wrist, drink Vinho Verde, laugh often! Hugs and kisses - David
Interesting. Its pattern would make a nice fabric.
Hello Sonjia,
What a beautiful butterfly. It is a new species for me, definitely not seen in my area. It is a surprise that it can damage the geraniums. Your photos are lovely. Thank you for linking up and sharing your critter post! Take care, have a great weekend.
I’m a butterfly-ignoramus. I can’t ID any of them, and know nothing of their habits. I definitely didn’t know there was a geranium pest!
best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Beautiful photos of the butterfly ~ very professionally done ~
Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Love those close ups.
And you have rightly said:
....and it is such an attractive tiny butterfly.
Hello Sonjia 😊
Truly a dilemma … such an attractive butterfly and yet a pest. Excellent work documenting the damage the butterfly does to the Geranium. Do keep us posted on the caterpillars. Thank you for sharing your blog and I send you best wishes for the days ahead!
John
I didn't know about this Geranium butterfly...and it was really tiny.
The butterfly is a beauty and it's sad that it causes geraniums problems. Take care and have a great weekend.
Thanks for the info on this little pest. Too bad about your geraniums though.
Interesting butterfly facts and photos. Nature can be both beautiful and challenging.
I love taking the time to watch the butterflies. They are a challenge to photograph and you did great!
Your photos are lovely. I would also consider it a delightful surprise. Happy October!
be it a pest or not...it's a beautiful butterfly with such a delicate pattern. it's so nice to have friends that can help to identify those you can't, maybe consider a book to help with that. i have so many to help identify butterflies and birds!!
your pictures are lovely...too bad that it is destructive to your geranium!!
Butterflies are so beautiful. greetings.
Well, a caterpillar's got to eat, through no fault of its own, but that is pretty sad that they eat the buds. One can live with chewed up leaves, but dead buds take much of the joy out of growing the geraniums. So, is the problem solveable?
A mí también me gustó cuando la vi por primera vez, pero ya no quiero verla por mi jardín, . mis geranios están destrozados. El reportaje te quedó muy bien. Besos.
Oh dear, dear Sonjia, that's a shame! I'm sorry that the pretty looking little butterfly is a pest and your geraniums are suffering from its caterpillars. Maybe there is a way to protect the geraniums without killing the caterpillars and butterflies - e.g. something that smells bad to the animals and scares them away?
All the best and have a nice week, Traude
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Nature can be so confusing! It is a lovely little butterfly -- and every living creature has to eat. And yet the damage to your lovely geraniums is hard to accept. Life is full of compromises, never easy to tell the good from the bad.
That is the beauty of the blog-world, there is always someone who knows the answer to our questions!
Butterflies are cute
Have a wonderful weekend!
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https://www.melodyjacob.com/2023/10/decoding-instagrams-modesty-debate-are-revealing-trends-empowering-or-indecent.html
Hello Sonjia...Very nice shots... Happy week
Hi Sonja..I've missed your beautiful photos..Your blue daisies are gorgeous..
We don't have Green Finches here..lovely color..Love all the little tits..I don't think we have them either..
I sure hope your weather improves..It has been beautiful here.A bit dry!!
I too had trouble listening to music after my husband died..especially Church..Haven't been since...
Hope you are having a good week..
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