Spanish Needles flowers are a
butterfly favorite; these two
Zebra
Heliconian butterflies are sipping nectar from them.
It's also one
mean daisy if you happen to brush up against it when it goes to seed!
The long needle-like seeds (burrs - they stick to your clothes!) tend to burst out when they're ready.
I walked by one and it popped open against my arm - what a shock that
was! If you brush by one that's all ready open, they just stick all over
your clothes, but you'll jump if one pops right at you.
Who wants this
mess? Any dedicated butterfly gardener wants it,
because it's a butterfly favorite! This
White Peacock Butterfly is sure enjoying it:
I've seen
Zebra Heliconian,
Gulf Fritillary,
Julia,
White Peacock,
Horace's Duskywing and
various other
skipper butterflies nectar on Spanish Needles, and that's
just off the top of my head without going back through my photos. It is
by far the best nectar plant I have for butterfly variety.
This little polka-dotted moth was enjoying the Spanish Needles nectar
when the bee buzzed by:
