DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 67

Thanks angele!!

Cool Linda!

adorable. i've never seen a white skipper

ding ding ding i got one! (Gray Hairsteak, lol)

Congratulations on the beautiful butterfly Linda!

A Hairstreak with open wings? A white skipper? This thread is getting exciting!

Here's a couple of Dorantes. The one on the right is getting ready to pupate which is why he's a different color.

Spotted in the garden and on the drive home today: Pipevine ST, Zebra Longwing, Checkered Skipper, Cloudless Sulphur (beautiful summer form), Spicebush ST, Duskywings (probably Horace's), and many Gulf Frits.

I picked seven more skippers off the beggarweed and about as many eggs off my beans today. The museum is going to have lots of skippers. A lot of the guests noticed them last week and there were only two (Long-Tailed Skippers) in the flight cage. It's a good segue to different types of butterflies and how to tell a butterfly from a moth.

In other skipper news, my eggs hatched! Not the weird ones, the ones I found on the grass after their Mommy flew away. I think they may be Clouded Skippers because my book shows a whitish cat and these guys are definitely pale.

Funny story, I was trying to tear the piece of grass with the eggs on it so I could throw out the dead plant and put some fresh grass in with just the eggs. Well, one of the eggs goes flying. I searched all over and actually found it on my bed. Thank God I have the navy sheets on it right now. Those little white eggs stand out on a dark background.


Melanie

Another Red-spotted Purple...

Hmmm! nanny, not sure, but that might be a Spicebush ST that lost its tails, doesn't look like the RSP.

Linda...yes, that's a Laviana Skipper. Often confused with the Turk's Cap skipper - but the Laviana has that distinctive brown "V" on the underside of the wings :o)

Congrats on all those eggs Melanie!

Nanny - looks like Gray Hairstreak from the dorsal side - but then again, lots of those hairstreaks look alike from the wingtops :o) This is a dorsal view of a Gray Hairstreak I raised and released.

~ Cat

I was wondering if the one might be a Spicebush...but the pics didn't match...It all so confusing. If someone can ID for sure that would be great.

I reported & sent pic of the Gray Hairstreak since there had been none reported where I live. I am finding very few have been reported in my county. The Spicebush would be another if I can get a good photo to send them.

Thanks guys!

I wonder about that butterflies and moths site because I have reported things last year and they still aren't posted.

They did not use my photo for the GST last year but it did get added to the list. I wiil keep checking for this one.

your coordinator sound better than mine!

Our little Black ST ?? caterpillar has really grown and has eaten every last bite of the Italian parsley it was on when I bought the parsley. I put a pot of curly parsley next to it in hopes it will move to the curly parsley. Otherwise, I have nothing to feed it. The nursery had the parsley on season closeout sale and I doubt there will be any more available, so wish I hadn't bought the one with this little cat on it. Doesn't leave me with a very happy feeling. Amazing how "invested" in a caterpillar I can get.

Do you have any Queen Anne's Lace growing around you? That what mine eats.

No Queen Anne's Lace around. The cat has refused to accept the curly parsley. Have called all the nurseries around and all have sold their parsley because it bolts at this time of year. One more nursery left to call and then I'll give up, I guess.

i would think if it is hungry enough, it will eat it. and if not, it will pupate.

The Laviana White-Skippers continue to emerge, 5 so far! I believe this one was a female, going by some identified pics on BugGuide site. They seem to be more shy about opening their wings. Wonder if there will be new eggs appearing on my mallows soon. I kind of feel sad about releasing butterflies now that I have so little blooming. I hate this heat!

This message was edited Aug 14, 2009 4:43 PM

And another of the whiter male Laviana White-Skippers....again, going by BugGuide pics.

Mine has now got its stripes!!

First time I've gotten a shot right after it "changed clothes." My front porch has become a combination potting shed and BF house. LOL. Not very neat looking either. And I don't seem to get anything done because I'm going out there about every few minutes to check on things.

I think my little may be going to shed again..it is up on the side of the container.


I found a big one this evening...Woohoo!!

Congratulations to both of you!! You guys are hooked now!!

Last month I had to stop bringing anymore cats inside. It was like withdrawals!! I had to spray inside the shop due to fleas, and we were getting ready to go on a two week vacation. I tried to keep in touch online by my laptop on wifi or aircard, but was so busy didn't post much.
Well we are back home now, and I am back in the caterpillar raising business!! I stopped by Christi's house on the way home and she loaded me up with some small cats that she had been bringing inside. I ended up with 19 BST, 1 GST and 4 eggs that she had on her Rue! I caged them all today and then went searching for my own babies.
I found one large BST and about 15 small BST and 2 GST on my Rue. Then my citrus tree has 4 very large GST. I will bring them in tomorrow. I also gathered in 5 Monarch cats, I think there should have been more the way the plants have been devoured. Hope it wasn't wasps or a lizard, etc. Would love to find a bunch of chrysalis hanging around. I haven't checked the parsley yet, will get to that tomorrow too. I did see a chrysalis on a stalk when walking by that bed.
On vacation we went to Atlanta GA to visit family and went to the Calloway Gardens while there. Didn't get to see as much of it as I would have liked, but spend an hour or so in the butterfly house they have there. Most of them were tropical of course, but it was beautiful.
We went on to Jackson, and then to Vicksburg (donated a bit to the cause there!). DH loves Civil War stuff and we toured a lot of those. But wherever you go, it is always nice to get back home. I will post some pics when I get rested and unpacked!

Welcome home, Sheila. Glad you had a safe and enjoyable trip.
Glenna

I don't know IDs but I have some pics I can contribute.

Two more female Laviana White Skipper, eight butterflies eclosed so far! These butterflies are apparently found in a few warmer states...like Florida, Texas and Arizona...and south of the border.

I now have 3 BST cats...I have 1 more container left...LOL!

GoldenD...Pretty little Cabbage White I believe. Nice picture.

Enjoyed all the pics.. I also had to put a few cats back out since we were going to be gone... when we got home, my passion vine was almost eaten up.. and of course parsley is just sticks.. Have tons of gulf and var. frits flying around and Black swallowtails too.
About the mosquito spraying. My county has a policy that you can opt out for this... they call every year and I tell them I have bad allergies.. little white lie. of course this doesn't stop the neighbors from spray. Hate those mosquitoes, but don't want that poison either.
Elaine

Hey everyone, this thread is getting long and I have pictures to share! So let's keep it going here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1027662/

Melanie

Variegated Fritillary (pretty sure) on thistle.

Hey, look who wandered into the picture.

oops. here's the Frit.

Hey MsEd....great shots, especially the bee and TST!!
Don't miss the new thread...see Mellie's post just above yours.

ooops!!!!