Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 23, 1 by mellielong

mellielong wrote:
And while she was outside Mom apparently saw our friend the Gulf Fritillary (on the plumbago of course). You know, I saw a Gulf Frit today during my break. The training facility is at the Port of Tampa, right on the water. We have plumbagos downtown so I see lots of Gulf Frits. I've got two GF chrysalids right now, but something got to two of my caterpillars. I think a spider sneaked in. I've got to put some weather-stripping on the butterfly house this weekend. I've got another small caterpillar in there somewhere, but I haven't seen him in two days. Even the big ones can blend in really well.

Oh, I did have a report from Dad who is hunting somewhere in North Florida. I think he's near Steinhatchee, but I wouldn't swear to it. As he was leaving the woods he saw two butterflies (some kind of swallowtail) settle down on an oak tree. He said they blended in really well; he only saw them because he watched them land. I told him he probably saw their roosting spot. He says there's also lots of sulphurs, but he said he's seeing more mid-size ones, and ones that are more lime-green color than yellow. Dad is a little color-blind, though. That's the news from Tampa!
Melanie