Broken Butterflies and Lost Frogs

OK, it's starting to look a bit like Wildlife rescue around here. Ma has a whole forest of self sown Swan plants growing around the pool. Swan plants are the best beloved food of the Monarch butterfly and its' caterpillers.  Consequently, we have had regular fluttering visitors over the last week.

Two days ago, while skimming the pool, I found one such visitor had decided to go swimming.  I skimmed it out and put it in a sunny spot to dry, but noticed it had a broken wing. The next morning I went out to find the same butterfly swimming again.  This time, I pulled him out, expecting to find him dead, but lo and behold, the little blighter clung to my finger and tried to climb up my hand.  This tenacity deserves some reward, I thought.

So, this time I found a sheltered spot with some sun, beside the towering parsley plants (4 foot high if you would believe). And I straightened out his broken wing.  And picked him some Swan Plant blossom to have a sip on.  I left him busily feeding and put a few more flowers out for him last night.

On checking this morning (after a warm/mild night), he had climbed a little way up the parsley overnight and I plucked more flowers for his breakfast. Again he is feeding, although the poor thing is looking pretty battered now and I think he has acknowledged that he won't be flying again. Dad tells me I am a fool and will just be disappointed when he eventually karks it.  I just feel for the plucky little begger.

In the meantime, the pool had claimed another victim.  Well, visitor actually.  A large green frog had taken up residence.  As Ma was tipping a load of pool chemicals in, I decided I had better pull him and out and find a slightly less dangerous spot for him to be.  I discovered that netting an active frog is no mean feat, but finally got him and transferred him to a damp shady spot  covered by greenery, underneath the lemon tree.  Ma gave the spot a bit of a water (as an apology I suppose) and we think he has settled back there nicely.

Any dispossessed hedgehogs in the area perhaps???