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Buckeye Butterfly (latin name - Junonia coenia) - The Buckeye is often seen resting on the ground, as when it's wings are closed it is drab and easily overlooked, it's brown colour blending well with the soil. It opens it's wings frequently at rest or whilst feeding, so you can easily get a good glimpse of it's colourful eye spot markings.

Monarch Butterfly (latin name - Danaus plexippus) - Some say Monarch butterflies are the most beautiful of all butterflies, and are considered the 'king' of the butterflies, hence the name 'monarch'. The monarch butterfly is sometimes called the 'milkweed butterfly' because it's larvae eat the plant. In fact, milkweed is the only thing the larvae can eat, so if you'd like to attract Monarchs to your garden, you can try planting milkweed (if you live in the right area).

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly (latin name - Papilio glaucus) - The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, along with the Monarch, is North Americas most recognisable butterflies. You can identify it (usually) by its large size and bright yellow colour with black tiger stripes, and male Tiger Swallowtails have a few orange and blue spots near the tail. They are found all over, especially near water, but also in meadows, gardens, parks and roadsides.

Red Admiral (latin name - Vanessa atalanta) - This butterfly can be found almost anywhere, from the seashore and town gardens, to the tops of the highest mountains.The adults use a wide variety of nectar sources, including Buddleia, Ivy Blossom and Bramble. They are also partial to rotting fruit, such as plums that have fallen from the tree. When resting on the ground or on a tree trunk, the undersides of the adults provide superb camouflage, making them almost invisible as they blend into the background.

12 Spotted Skimmer Dragonfly (latin name - Libellula pulchella) - The dragonfly in the picture is a mature male 12-spotted skimmer. It's body is about 2 inches long, and it's wingspan is about 3 inches. Like other dragonflies, the 12-spot eats insects, and I am particularly thankful for its voracious appetite for mosquitoes. It devours them in its adult form and when it is an aquatic larva. It is a mosquito's worst nightmare: first aquatic dragonfly larvae zip around the pond eating mosquito larvae and pupae, and then, just when the adult mosquitoes get out of the pond, along comes a hungry adult 12-spotted skimmer!