A few years ago we visited the Magic Wings Conservatory & Gardens, a butterfly aviary in South Deerfield, MA. We enjoyed viewing and photographing an array of tropical butterflies. However, the highlight for me was stopping at their nursery on the way out. As I had hoped, they sold many butterfly larval plants. We decided to add to our collection and purchased a hops (humulus lupulus) plant, which attracts the question mark, red admiral and grey hairstreak butterflies.   To increase the butterfly population in your garden, you need to provide food for the caterpillars. Each species feeds...

I caught this robin red breast cheerfully singing at our backyard pond on a hot summer day.He decided to take the plunge,shook himself out, and dried off at the edge of the pond.