We came from here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1032604/
This Gulf Fritillary was being very nice and posed for me the other day. For some reason, they seem to prefer the red pentas.
DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 70
While the Giant ST seems to prefer the pink ones. Don't know why, but I see it day after day.
But the Zebra Longwing is a sucker for some firebush. Planting them was part of my "Let's get all the Zebra Longwings at my house instead of at the neighbor's down the street" plan. She plants a lot of Florida natives but doesn't really keep them tidy so it looks like a bunch of weeds in her front yard. But it was attracting the butterflies. No more! They're all mine!
Look at how deep this guy has his proboscis in there. And the way his legs are clinging to the flower. So cool!
And when he pulls out you can see the pollen stuck to the proboscis. Zebra Longwings excrete an enzyme that breaks the pollen down to a liquid which they can then slurp up with their proboscis. That added nutrition is the reason they live so long (6-9 months).
This White Peacock kept hiding from me.
So Mom and I went to get our hair cut today. It rained all morning and most of the afternoon so when we got home the butterflies were everywhere getting some food. The Giant STs were chasing each other (again), the Sulphurs were whizzing around, and I counted three Zebra Longwings around the firebush.
But as we pulled in there was something flying around the cherry tree - and it was my Red-Spotted Purple! It was back to lay more eggs!!
I picked up three more eggs. Hopefully, she laid more after I left. Sometimes butterflies need "alone time" and I try to respect that.
So as Mom and I are standing there trying to be perfectly still while the RSP does her thing, a Tiger ST comes over!
Maybe it wanted to lay eggs, too? Last time the RSP laid eggs I found Tiger ST eggs on the tree at about the same time. Maybe they don't recognize each other's eggs? If you want lots of eggs you have to keep picking them off because a butterfly won't lay eggs on a plant that already has lots of eggs. It knows there won't be enough food for them all. So I keep plucking the RSP eggs off because I want to raise them, and also so she'll come back and lay more!
Here's the Tiger eating the pink pentas. You can see the branches of the cherry tree mixed in.
My RSP eggs started hatching today! Oh, and I forgot to mention that I had an egg on the rue the other day. I remembered to go back and check it yesterday and found two Giant ST cats and a whole bunch of eggs which I believe to be Black ST eggs (from the color and quantity left). Giant STs are actually pretty good about not overburdening a plant. It's like they know the egg to plant ratio so there's enough food for everyone.
Speaking of eggs, I keep forgetting to tell you guys that those weird metallic eggs on my beans turned out to be spiders. I've seen some more since and left them alone. I like spiders in the vegetable garden; my bean and tomato trellises encourage them to build webs, which I like. Better than spraying poisons on my plants, I figure.
Here's my first RSP baby.
And for those of you wondering, "Whatever happened to the first bunch of Tiger ST eggs?" Well, I got two groups of five. The second group died a few days after hatching so I think something was wrong with them. In the first group, I lost two pretty quickly, one got in a fight and lost to another caterpillar, and one just stopped growing and then died. In fact, the last two I had weren't growing very quickly at all, which usually leads me to think parasite. But I still have the one left and here he is. I hope he makes it all the way to becoming a beautiful butterfly and that I get some more eggs on my cherry tree.
That's the news from Tampa!
Melanie
Great photos! Congrats on the eggs and cats.
This message was edited Sep 12, 2009 5:19 PM
I saw the first Great Spangled Fritillary of the year today. If was really into the butterfly bushes.
A nice slow fluttering female Tiger Swallowtail paid a visit, too.
Nanny.....Pretty picture of the sulfur on goldenrod (back on prev thread). I am with vossner I love sulfurs too!! I have more plants this year for them and hope they find them.
Melanie...Congrats on the next go round of GST eggs, better luck on them. Hope your RSP lays lots of eggs too. Nice shots of the Zebra with the loaded proboscis, and the lovely Tiger.
Shive.... Great shot of the GS Frit!!
Sooty wing Skipper
Grey Hairstreak (?)
Painted Lady and black Bee
Monarch
Sulphur and bee
Skipper
Sulphur
Painted Lady
Cabbage White on white Moonflower
Monarch on fall clematis
jmorth - Those are great shots. Your asters seem to attract a lot of butterflies. Only the skippers seem to like mine.
Debra
Wow, jmorth! A very nice variety of butterflies and great shots of those beauties. Here is a not- so- great shot of a RSP I think on a wild persimmon tree.
Congrats on the RSP Melanie!!
That frit is a beauty shive!
jmorth...great shots!
shive, my New Eng Asters are butterfly magnets every fall...
Caught a Tiger ST at the museum today and put it in the flight cage. I think it's a boy, though. Gotta find some females...
couple Monarchs
And one of my lazy Zebra STs emerged! I'm glad he waited until my day to volunteer.
couple Sulphurs
I decided I hadn't taken a photo of a Cassius Blue in a while. So I waited for this one to sit still and when it did, it was ovipositing!
moth on dahlia
And my Spicebush decided to grow up and make a chrysalis. I watched him build his sling this afternoon. I still think it's amazing!
Melanie
PL
jmorth - Those New England asters are like your secret weapon for attracting butterflies. My aster is called Viking Star, and it isn't getting much butterfly action at all. I'll have to see about adding some New England asters next year.
Melanie - I really like your "lazy" Zebra Swallowtail. I'd love to see one of those in person.
Debra
Convergence: gives the appearance all 3 are wanting the same flower, but the sulphur proved most worthy...
Those Asters, New England Asters? They're beautiful, and butterflie's magnet? Perfect!!! Mel. Love your Spicebush cat. It's so cute!
editted for typos.
This message was edited Sep 14, 2009 6:29 AM