Beach Butterflies!

 It was our first time back to Sullivan’s Island last weekend in several months since the ban on chairs, umbrellas and basically doing at the beach what we and others enjoy- sitting down and hanging out. 

My beach posts this summer have been from Edisto Beach, which did not have such restrictions. Since hearing that Sullivan’s had finally chilled we decided to make a visit. This after we enjoyed an excellent lunch at Obstinate Daughter, a really good restaurant on the island. And we wanted to check if our “secret” free parking spot was still available and still free. It was and is, so that was good too. 

This day wasn’t good for laying out so we just walked a few miles up and down the coastline. Fort Sumter (seen above) flew its U.S. flag at half staff because of the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 

It was low tide when we were there. The hard-packed beach was so wide and firm I could have played tennis on it. 

Some fishers were doing their thing. We didn’t see any stingrays being caught like at Edisto Beach on Labor Day.

A Sanderling looks for a beach bite to eat. 

The Sullivan’s Island Lighthouse still awaits a long-overdue paint job. 

The photography highlight was on the walk back to the car along the Station 17 path. 

Three types of butterflies were captured on these flowers.

Gulf Fritillaries (middle), Monarchs (bottom) and Common Buckeyes (top) spotted on a beach path to Sullivan’s Island today. Does anyone know what this plant is that attracts so many pretty butterflies?  Well, I asked that on the South Carolina Leps (Butterflies and Moths) site and received several responses. 

It’s a Eupatorium, probably Eupatorium serotinum. Looks more like Mikania (Hempvine) to me. Milkweed. These were some of the Facebook responses. 

I hope the plant is Milkweed because that is the only one I have heard of and can remember. This piece on Milkweed says Monarch caterpillars feed only on Milkweed, so that solves that (I hope). The Common Buckeye (above) is quite colorful and unique looking. 

Gulf Fritillaries seem to enjoy the Milkweed as well.