This Sulphur Butterfly is enjoying a sip of nectar from my Firebush. I was trying to photograph a tiny hummingbird that was sipping from the red flowers, but it flew away. I didn't mind its departure as much once this butterfly paused for a meal too.

Gulf Fritillary Butterfly sipping from a firebush flower:

Firebush, Hamelia patens, is a nectar plant for a variety of butterflies, bugs and hummingbirds. I even have a hungry bird in the middle of mine that I suspect is enjoying a fine meal of my favorite fliers. I wish there were bird repellent for butterflies; I'd spray mine with it!

Spanish Needles and Firebush are my two most used nectar plants. If you're going to garden for Butterflies down here in South Florida, this bush is a must have!

I heard from Alana Edwards that there is a non-native Firebush spreading in Florida. She said the native Firebush has leaves that are dull, and the invasive Firebush has shiny leaves. She encouraged everyone (she was giving a butterfly lecture) to plant only the native Firebush.

I thought I'd throw that in for the native plant enthusiasts.

This Zebra Heliconian Butterfly is nectaring from the Firebush too, but look at its proboscis (the part it sticks into the flower). The yellow material is pollen that it gets from the flower in addition to the nectar. The Zebra is one of the few butterflies, the only one I know of here in Florida, that eats pollen as well as nectar.

Before you stare too hard looking for the bug or butterfly in this picture, stop. It is simply a picture of the Firebush plant. 

See the berries?  Those are supposed to be good bird food, but I haven't seen a bird eat one yet. I'm not sitting outside watching all day of course, so they might be...

I sure hope they're eating more berries than butterflies!

Here's the bug:

I had to add the honeybee.  It reminds me of a little tiny kid drinking from a very big cup.  See the pollen on its legs?  That will go home as food for the members of the hive.

I've also found adorable Pluto Sphinx Moth caterpillars on their host plant, Firebush. Little update - I got a hummingbird too!