ChanellG, It's such a gorgeous butterfly, it looks like a flower!
As for phobias - if it was possible to stop being scared only by saying to yourself that there is no logical reason to be scared, life would be so much easier.
Claudine, it is possible; that is why therapists exist. It doesn't mean you stop being scared instantly, but by facing your fears and repeating to yourself there is nothing to fear but fear itself, (and taking some other steps) fear can be obliterated. It happens all the time.
I'm not scared of butterflies, I love them, but I have other weird phobias and believe me, therapists and all this talking about facing fears works only in theory. The reality isn't this simple.
That's a Peacock Butterfly, they breed here Claudine.
And I can tell you from thousands of others it does.
What, breed in Claudine's Garden?
http://www.nss.org.sg/project/bto/doc/nss_bto_map_jan2011.pdfVery nice, Maddie. It looks a lot like the photo of the female monarch you posted below it. I'm not sure how to tell what plant it would lay eggs on; I looked it up and came across this: http://www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/India - Danaus chrysippus.htm
It's an interesting article but doesn't talk about the host plants. There is more than one kind of milkweed; the monarch feeds on the tropical one. Your tiger must have come from someplace nearby - unless it is migrating. In which case the butterfly can exist on nectar from your flowers, but the caterpillar needs it's specific food.
Does crown flower (AKA giant milkweed) grow anywhere near you?
According to this it's a host plant for the plain tiger: http://www.nss.org.sg/project/bto/doc/nss_bto_map_jan2011.pdf
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