Catchfly Commons

Big Moths: Saturniids and Their Hosts

Four years ago, we were thrilled to find both Cecropia Moth and Polyphemus Moth caterpillars in our yard. Unfortunately, the Polyphemus caterpillar died from parasites (eaten from inside out) and we lost track of the Cecropia caterpillar before its final instar. Since then, I am always checking for these species of caterpillars to show again……

Catchfly Commons on Facebook

We are beginning to post items and tidbits smaller than blog entries on our Catchfly Commons Facebook page. To date, we have mainly used that page just to push out links to blog entries when they are published on our website. On Facebook, you will start seeing more photos of occasional finds in our gardens,…

Coneflowers, Asters and Goldenrods

A presentation at Cedar Bog Nature PreserveSaturday August 10 from 10 am to 11:30 am Cost $5.00 (Cedar Bog Association and Ohio History Connection members free) Event Facebook Post Our presentation will cover: Cedar Bog Nature Preserve980 Woodburn RoadUrbana, OH 43078 Photos by Randy Litchfield unless otherwise noted© Randy Litchfield, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)

It’s Not All About Nectar

This summer we have frequently seen common wood-nymph butterflies in the landscape. Until I was able to get a positive identification, I wondered if they might be Carolina satyr butterflies (which turns out to be a wood-nymph cousin). Unfortunately, the frequent sightings have not yielded many photos because they are constantly moving (unless of course…

2024 DCMGA Plant Sale

Come to the plant sale this weekend for a great selection of native plants, grown and cared for by the DCMGA Native Plant Committee volunteers. We anticipate having about 1,000 native plants available for purchase, representing around 30 species. There are limited quantities of some species so come early for the best selection. Here are…

Thanks for a Great Day!!

Thanks to everyone who came out to our open garden yesterday. We had over 170 visitors! We so enjoyed meeting people and exchanging interests, insights, and experiences with native plants! Thanks to Columbus Wild Ones, North Central Ohio Pollinator Pathway, Delaware County Master Gardener Volunteers, Leaves for Wildlife, Natives in Harmony, and Scioto Gardens for…

Dazzling Night Lights: Fireflies

We are starting to see a good number of fireflies in the yard now. It is so enchanting to see the lights in the night flicker and dance! We also frequently see them during the day. Even without the lights, I feel a friendly vibe from their meandering. We like to think that their presence…

Host Plants for Caterpillars

There’s a good reason to choose keystone plants for the landscape – they are crucial to the foodweb in an ecosystem. The foliage (for caterpillars) or pollen (for bees) support the largest number of these insect species, creating the best chance of high biodiversity in our gardens. Keystone Plants The top keystone genera (closely related…

A Tangled Tale: Vines

There is a group of plants that is often neglected… vines. These plants can fulfill several functions in a landscape design as well as provide ecological function. There are a number of native vines that can be used in place of invasive or potentially invasive vine species. Vines need to be used wisely because even…

April is Ohio Native Plant Month…

… and this serves as an annual reminder of the importance of native plants. Perhaps even more important, April 2024 is National Native Plant Month! This designation allows us to renew our commitment to the removal of non-native invasive plant species, and the planting of beneficial native species. And it provides a platform for the…