New Jersey Tea

Excerpt:

In the field guide, the butterflies are organized by shape just as in field guides of flowers and trees. Just as all things in nature are known by their cups, their serrated edges, their tents, their folds and lengths. I flip through white silhouettes on black glossy pages. There’s an entire section of skippers and another of fritillaries.

I find the summer azure I was looking for. I read about its ant song–that notes that sound exactly like a queen ant calling her minions. I read about the sweet secretions of its larval stage, a honeydew liquid irresistible to ants. The ants will come and lick the caterpillar and protect her on the host plant while she dines on its leaves and flowers. In my garden, the host is New Jersey Tea [...]