Tuesday 18 December 2012

Star-crossed lovers

At this time of the year, starting in December (and continuing to February), the island experiences a stronger trade winds breeze that I have nicknamed the Christmas breeze, but the correct term is Christmas trades.
Normally we are cooled by the North East trade winds which blow with great regularity.
However, the strength of these winds coming in off the Atlantic sea are at their peak during this period.  They are gustier, and are responsible for the way way cooler nighttime temperatures which makes me reach for a blanket to stay warm.
During this peak season the winds blow between 15-25 knots, and these higher winds create challenging wave heights for surfers, windsurfers, and kiteboarders who look forward to this time of year.
The 'alize' is a well-known trade wind in the Caribbean that blows from the northeast, mostly between November and February.
Strolling the garden today, I came across two Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) carcasses entwined in the grass like two star-crossed lovers.
I believe they were blown wildly away by these high gusty breezes that we are having.
They were so beautiful......


Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

8 comments:

  1. Nothing to cool us down here :( I remember how the carribean breeze made the temperature most pleasant.

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  2. These will be our coolest (cold at night for me) months. No fans necessary for a little while, thank goodness.
    We have got to get you back here to enjoy the Caribbean breezes once again.

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  3. Yes, the winds are a wonderful help when the heat gets up. I love the heat but it becomes hard to do things if it gets too hot and there's no cooling breezes.

    The Monarch is the most amazing of creatures. I have blogged about them frequently and have been meaning for ages to bring them together in a 'definitive' post. I think, so far as I can make out from the photos, that you have a pair: one male and one female. How romantic.

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  4. It rained today, and the winds were not very strong.
    Walking in the garden, I have not found any more monarch carcasses...makes me a bit sad to see them crushed to death like that.
    I gave them to my friend's daughter for a science project for the next school term.

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  5. It's windy here today, too. I occasionally find butterfly wings in my garden after birds have eaten the body. Even in death they're beautiful.

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  6. I do find only the wings sometimes too, but I see them in my inner garage only. Maybe the lizards that live there eat the bodies, I'm not sure, I'll have to look more carefully next time.

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  7. Hi Virginia, Thank you for visiting my blog and the lovely comments. It always amazes me when people from all over the world visit my tiny corner. Love your weather widget - wish our temperature was so high - it's not even in double figures in England at the moment. x

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    Replies
    1. I loved your blog...I enjoyed reading about all the old manor houses in your area, and the beautiful gardens too.
      Yes, always incredibly amazing when we meet others from far-flung areas of the world on a blog.
      I have bookmarked your blog, so I will be visiting often.
      It's rainy here at the moment, and a bit chilly (for me), so not so sunshiny.
      Stay warm.

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