I was on my daily morning walk in my garden. I enjoy these walks because I almost always discover a fascinating new visitor sharing my garden with me. But today was special. Resting quietly on my lantana bush was a beautiful tiger swallowtail butterfly. I’d had butterfly visitors before, but nothing like this one. They are said to be the most common butterfly in the West, but it was anything but common to me. It was breathtaking with its wingspread of around four inches. Most butterflies will flutter away when you get anywhere near them, but this one kept sipping the nectar of the lantana flower and didn’t pay any attention to me.
I went back a little later and it was gone. I never saw it again. Since they only live for two weeks, I was so happy that it floated into my garden at just the time I’d be able to see it. This is what makes having a garden such a joy!