DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 66

I've also determined that I have my very own Sleepy Orange cat (as opposed to one I stole from the museum's garden). He's finally big enough that I'm sure. I'm still not sure about all the little cats that were on the senna. When I got the eggs, Sleepy Orange was already a cat. So I don't know if Mommy came back later or a different butterfly laid eggs. Found another cat on the senna, though.

Monarch is still flying around my house and I have baby cats on the milkweed. I'll wait until they're a little bigger before I bring them in.

I've got one Black ST chrysalis that just keeps freaking out. I'm sitting here all quiet and then all of a sudden he starts banging against the plastic of the critter keeper. And there's nothing touching him! Weird little thing.

Here's the Sleepy Orange. By the way, I saw a ton of these flying around today. I can't remember ever seeing this many of them. Maybe it's a good year for them?

Melanie

I bet that BST has a parasite, better quarantine it. Also check for an ant crawling on it. Did it just go into chrysalis or is it time to emerge?

It's been in the chrysalis for a few days now. I think it's mad because I taped the stick it's on to the side of the cage so it's hanging at a slightly unnatural angle. The side of the chrysalis is touching the plastic and I think that's what is setting it off. I'm more worried about my last cat because he is taking so long to grow. But I did get these guys all as eggs and they haven't been outside of the house. Will keep you posted.

Melanie

Elaine beautiful BF's. I have so many right now and i think there are way to many caterpillars and not enough food so guess I will be looking for passion vine and buying parsley. I have bunches in the Gazebo and just found bunches more outside today.

Linda love the Queen. I have had several of them.

Melanie, sure you can stop anytime. We all can!!! hehe

Picture of cats on my milkweed.

Boy Monarch passing by.

Beautiful Mrs_Ed love the colors with the flower looks like you planted it there.

I usually don't get Queens or Monarchs until mid August; but I saw one nectaring today!!
Hopefully this is a sign that we will see more butterflies this year!

It was a male so I didn't bother to look for eggs.

I was so still and intent on taking shots of the Queen that I almost missed the hummer that zoomed in to run it off the milkweed. LOL!!
So since I was so close the one shot I got was pretty good.

YAY!!! Mrs. Ed is sending me some Monarch eggs!

Sheila, marvelous shot! And hurray for Mrs. Ed, nanny!
One of the 13 or so Texas Powdered Skipper cats. Many are sewing two mallow leaves together this time. And there is also two smaller cats that are sharing one folded leaf that is barely big enough for one!


This message was edited Jul 23, 2009 9:48 PM

I released the last Spicebush ST today, no pic because it was impatient to fly and I was tired.
I had to put the rest of the Queen chrysallises in the freezer, then discarded them later on. Two had eclosed with the extremely deformed wings (I put them down) and the other chrysallises were spotty. The dreaded OE! Only the Monarchs and Queens can get that. And I just hate to lose all those!

After planting things that were suggested by the butterfly forum, I finally had a visitor today! I can't tell you how thrilled I was to watch this little guy/girl.

I don't know what kind it is but it was so lovely to watch. I hope it's a girl and she comes back to lay some eggs. She nectared a long time on the butterfly bushes and the verbena 'homestead purple'.

My thanks for all the advice and suggestions on the plants. Today made all the work worthwhile.

Mary

Here's another shot where you can see a tiny dot of blue on the lower part of the wing.

Lovely! You've got a beautiful Tiger Swallowtail!

A Gulf Frit came out first thing this morning.......we took the chrysalis out side out gate on the lamp post at least 60 feet from the passion vine...amazes me how far they can travel, and not get eaten, walked on or mowed !

A face only a mother could love....Giant Swallowtail cat.......

Congrats Mary isn't it exciting.

mjsponies you are correct i am amazed as well at how far they travel. I have chrysalis all over my Gazebo right now.

This is two i released this a.m.

2nd one!!

Wonderful pix everyone, I can't wait my turn! Hurry back butterflies.

Linda,
I've had very few Monarch's this year. More Queen's than before. But I'm really worried that the Monarchs are suffering this year more than usual with the OE. Anyone else in Central Florida encountering this.
Also, I posted about some unusual Queen chrysalis, can anyone please look at the post and give me an idea ?

I have absolutely no problem with monarchs this year, I have 30 ready to emerge soon and this is my 3rd batch of about the same number.

mjsponies, what is OE? I had 3 queens that had problems forming their chrysalis. I found the cats late though, they could have been parasitized

Welcome Mary....hope you can post many more pictures like that TST!!
Great pics Lee and super raising results Dawn!!
MJS....I will go look for your other post in a bit. Nice pics too!

Thanks, I have sooo many milkweed plants, I guess they love my yard, I collect the eggs before anything can happen to them, I have at least 5 monarchs that fly around my yard all day, It is so cool

Sounds delightful!

I shared a release with my 4 year old GN (Great Nephew) today. I put the GST on his finger and he carried it to the lime tree and we placed it there.
We HAD to go inside and play wii so don't know where it went from there. DH had just told me there was a female laying eggs before we came outside. Hope this one finds a mate.

This message was edited Jul 25, 2009 12:00 AM

Wow, Sheila that GST is so pretty. Yesterday I saw my first ETST since the early spring. It was so happy with my 'Lavender Eyes' butterfly bush.

Aren't they beautiful Lily. I haven't gotten to raise a Tiger yet.
I want to get a Escarpment Black Cherry if I can this year. There are Ash in the area but I have not seen them laying eggs so must not be the right kind.

I've had Monarchs infected with OE both at the house and at the museum. Our latest batches have been ok but we made sure to scrub everything. Remember, it's a spore so it travels by latching onto the cats, eggs, butterflies. I suspect even the plants hold some spores on them. We used bleach or white vinegar to clean everything with. If you suspect your plants, you can shear them down and milkweed will come back really fast.

In happy news, my first Black ST emerged yesterday. I actually had two. Mom is on vacation so I took them to work with me because I knew they were going to come out. This one is chilling on an African Violet leaf from the plant on my desk.

And for fun here's a Zebra Longwing cat. I have four; two made their J last night. i also have a Gulf Frit that came out while I was typing. I should have another Black ST today, too. I brought in a bunch of Monarch cats yesterday. I knew they were there but I like to wait until they get a little bigger before I try to raise them. The Polydamas have also left me several clusters of eggs which I am leaving on the plant to try and prevent more from being laid. I'll bring them in eventually.

Melanie

Some info about OE. Even eggs brought in to raise could become infected when the cat eats its egg, if it has spores. Or when the cat eats leaves, same thing.
http://www.butterflybreeders.org/public/health/disease_prevention_what_is_oe.html

Great article Linda. You need to add that link to the 'sticky' for reference in the future.

Sheila beautiful BF.

Linda thanks for posting the site on OE very informative. I was not aware of all the info.

Mellie nice zebra long wing cat and BST.

I releae two more this am but didn't take pictures.

Lily pretty ETST. Isn't this just a fun time of year.

I wish all of you in FL lived closer to GA. I am headed that way later this year and would love to meet you guys face to face. But won't have the time to go that far down into FL. :-((

Speaking of fun times of the year - I've got a bunch of butterflies with raging horomones! First, I noticed a Cassius Blue with its wings spread which hardly ever happens. I think she was trying to keep the male away. Or maybe it's just a little game they play first, hee hee.

Meanwhile, this other Cassius Blue was laying eggs. I admit, I take them for granted because they are always on my plumbagos. But it is fun to watch their habits and behaviors. I also like to see when they nectar on something other than plumbago. I mean, they've got host and nectar in one plant so what makes them stray? So far, pentas, anise hyssop, and jatropha. Oh, and I think they liked the Spanish Needles, too.

Also in the plumbagos, these Monarchs were going at it like a couple of teenagers.

And not even five minutes later I had this going on! That's what I get for taking the Monarch cats in last night.

Melanie

Saw a Red-spotted Purple yesterday....

With it threatening rain, only saw a few bfs today here. Mainly GFs, Hairstreaks, skippers, and one GST. I did release a BST also today.

Got more eggs on my "maypop in a hanging basket" bait for the Zebra Longwings this morning already. Also brought in some more eggs off the milkweed, Monarch or Queen not sure. Some of the ones I got a few towards the end of last week hatched as so far look like Monarchs. Weird cause I only saw two hanging around for about 2-3 days, and the Queens have been around more...
Also...it's really hard to type w/ a bandaid on the tip of your ring finger. Tore a finernail off below the quick and it really hurts !