Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: PART 2 BF Host Plant Seed Trade DISCUSSION, 1 by debnes_dfw_tx

debnes_dfw_tx wrote:
Thank you for finding that source info Judy! I would love to try and grow a Paw Paw.
All I have in the way of PV is the 2 small elegant dutchman's pipevine plants...they are recovering somewhat from being in someones plant stock, a bit neglected.. I repotted them into a 2 gallon pot and put it in my bathroom windowbox. Hopefully by next Spring they will be strong enough to share some.

I saw this Pipevine Swallowtail on my Vitex nectaring it's blooms...it looks very similar to the BSW ~ (I actually thought it was a BST), but upon closer observation saw the differences. The Cats look a whole lot different from BST too, having black bodies with orange spikes. These PVST are so benifical to other BFs.. Similar to how the Viceroy is benifical to the Monarch, bc it looks similar and is poisonous.

PVSTs do have other PV host plants like you say Judy... some might be growing wild in our own yards. (Wouldn't that be cool?) Their host plants are always a type vine, and always poisonous to humans/animals and all of their other predators.)

"Pipevine swallowtail caterpillars begin their lives by feeding in small groups on poisonous plants, such as Virginia snakeroot and Dutchman's pipe." < quote from : http://www.mic-d.com/gallery/butterfly/pipevineswallowtaild1...

Folks! we have all winter to learn about this stuff, and I am glad about that. It will take me all winter just to begin activly hosting many of these BFs I have only seen nectaring in my garden.