First Buckeye This Season!

August 13, 2025

Yesterday I had a fun surprise. A seldom seen Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia) sipping nectar from Apple Mint (Mentha suaveolens) which seems to be quite popular for pollinators.

Though some butterflies do not eat at all during their adult lives, the Common Buckeye does. They have a short life, living approximately ten days. During that time they consume nectar from a variety of flowers, and are sometimes seen puddling at damp or muddy areas to get moisture and vital nutrients.

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Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.