DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 71

Here's pic in the sun on my pentas.

E

EFGeorgia, I'm afraid I can't help you to identify yours. It sure is pretty though.
I liked yours too, LindaTX8. How did you ever see it?
I am very impressed with your chrsalis, AJNTEXAS. Now I know what to look for.
Sheila I feel lucky to see a b.fly much less get photos.
Thanks to everyone for the advice on reading material. I'll be doing a lot of reading on the subject. : - )
Today, I got up and was doing my regular round of chores and spotted this one. If it hadn't moved I wouldn't have even seen it, so well was it camouflaged in amonsg the dry leaves.
First of a short series.
It seems as if my lantana has sprouted wings and antennae.

This is a much better view of his wings. Am not sure what kind it is.

Last one for now. While I may have gotten more photos, these are probably the best of them. I did take some more later on in the day with mixed results.
Was really thrilled to see them. There were a couple of them working that Lantana. I hope to be able to get closer, but you know how they are. : - )
BTW, does anyone know what kind this is?
I've been growing food plants but want to learn about the host plants for the other stages of their lives too. Thanks again for the advice and the warm welcome.
Walk In Beauty!
SingingWolf

It looks like a Painted Lady butterfly.

I concur with the id of Painted Lady. They are very good about hanging around when they find something they like.

BTW...I lied before, be it unknowingly. The Queens or Monarchs are laying eggs, I just haven't been looking! I don't see any cats yet, just the eggs. Thought I would give them another day or two then grab them and cage them.
We are in the process of paneling my end of the shop. It is my potting shed / butterfly caterpillar nursery. Guess I wasn't through for the season yet. I have some MW in pots that I will grab and bring in if we should get a early freeze. Hopefully I will have time to raise and release this group.

I am not bringing in any more, seems that by the time they come out the flowers will be gone.
But then who know? we could get a very late freeze.

Elaine,

You have a Sleepy Orange (Abaeis nicippe). Looks to be the winter form. They are really pretty butterflies. We get them out here starting from summer through the fall.

~ Cat

Singing Wolf, you're butterfly is a West Coast Lady (Vanessa annabella), a close relative of the Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).

Dale Clark
Dallas County Lepidopterists' Society
www.dallasbutterflies.com

So much to learn. I keep forgetting not everyone lives in Texas. LOL!
The Vanessa annabella is not in the Bugfiles, can you put it in Dale? Then SW can post her pics there.

Thanks, Cat..

Wellll, some of us have same butterfly growing zone, Sheila... LOL I WANT SOME OF THOSE QUEENS..

The Queens mingle with the Monarchs so much I am not sure who's eggs they are. But I do love seeing all of the bfs this year. We haven't had many of any type for the last two years, glad to see the change. I do hope more people will stop using the pesticides on plants and the farmers will stop releaseing the tachnid flys on their crops, and bring world peace while I am wishing.

http://monarchlab.org/Lab/Research/Topics/Enemies/Default.aspx

This message was edited Nov 12, 2009 9:41 AM

They absolutely love the Bluemist flower, don't they? We have had them nectaring heavily on it, at home and the other two gardens.

They sure do Josephine.

I have gone back and posted a link about enemies Monarchs and corrected my errors on the previous post.

Sheila, add no GMO crops while you're wishing....and then no development of "vacant" land...which is often not vacant...much of that land might support an amazing variety of species of plants and wildlife.

Had to look that one up Linda, guess I let that one go over my head. Here is a pro and con article....Not to start a debate, just for personal info on what GMO crops are for those like me that didn't know.

http://www.businessweek.com/debateroom/archives/2007/12/gmo_crops_a_gro.html

I just think it's terrible to let Bt crops and RU ready crops be used. The regular crops were fine.
http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/May99/Butterflies.bpf.html

Hey y'all,
I have been going through all the photo contest entries and voting. I am eye sore. But it is so worth it.
Back on topic, thank all of you who helped me Identify the West Coast Lady. Thanks for the link and the correct ID, Lepfarmer, and link. I'm going to try to start a list of all the different kinds of b.flies I can find out here. Hopefully I'll get photos too.
I'm a thinking I'm an honorary Texan since most of my family lives there, LOL! Don't know if I said it on this thread, but if DH didn't own the family farm, I'd be in Texas already.
Thanks again all, it's been informative and friendly.
Walk In Beauty!
SingingWolf

I'm back, and I posted a thread for all my recent photos: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1057778/

But I wanted to save the best one for all of you! My dad just came back from hunting up in North Florida (Perry, FL to be exact). I told him to take pics of any butterflies he could and he came back with one I had never seen before. After getting my book out, I think he captured a Southern Pearly Eye! Notice the orange clubs on the antennae - cool!

I gave Dad my old camera and he's still trying to figure it out. So this one is blurry, but it's a lot closer.

Melanie

Way to go Melanie, you got Mom and Dad helping with the butterflies now! LOL!

Dad's the best! He's used to identifying ducks so he does well with butterflies except for being a little color-blind. He's a mailman and tells me about all the butterflies he sees on his route. Mom still gets some of the names confused, but she helps feed the caterpillars, especially the Monarchs, so we love her, too.

Excellent pictures Melanie.

Nice! We've got a couple of Monarch stragglers that flew in with that last front. Nice to see more Monarchs headed south!

And Queens also!

And then there's VF's. Also I saw a Red Admiral who managed to dodge my camera and some sulfurs.

This message was edited Nov 22, 2009 4:39 PM

Very nice Linda.

Weather was cool and cloudy - was able to get a nice dorsal shot of a Ceraunus Blue catching some rays :o)

~ Cat

The Green Linx spiders are out in full force and getting bigger every day. They've been feasting mainly on Snouts that have been moving through. Did spot this Poodle Head (Southern Dogface) in the grasp of one and just had to get some photos as this is usually the only time I get to really see their dorsal side.

~ Cat

A Blue with its wings open - SHOCK!!! Great photo!

We have plenty of Monarchs in Tampa. I must have rounded up about three dozen today. I found an even dozen on the Giant Milkweed, and I haven't seen them use that since last year. Surprised the heck out of me (see photo below - of Monarchs, not me looking shocked). We're still getting lots of Sulphur cats and the Polydamas are still laying eggs. I actually had two Polydamas and one Monarch eclose today at my house. And the Gulf Frits are all over the place and all over my passion vine.

Oh, did I mention I'm raising a couple Viceroys? They're crazy! They look just like Red-Spotted Purples except they eat willow. One is in his chrysalis and the other is probably fourth instar.

Melanie

Your Blue is super fine Cat! n Don't care for the lynx however, poor dogface.
Hey Melanie, that is really a good size MW, wish I could grow them. Good luck with the Viceroy.

Great photos Melanie! Glad to see you're still going 100mph raising and photographing butterflies. Work has been keeping me too busy. I had such big plans for raising butterflies during the fall season - but alas, no time!!! Still say it's great to see everyone else doing it :o)

~ Cat

Has everyone been watching the Monarchs in space? They posted videos of them head-butting each other. Mom hates when they do that. Then, one of them poos and the frass just floats across the screen; it cracked me up!

Melanie

oh, that's funny! (frass in spaaaccceee).

lol Mrs. Ed! I can hear it

Melanie...post that link if you would. I remember seeing that they would have a cam set up, then promptly forgot.

A few sites…


Monarch Watch
http://www.monarchwatch.org/space/

Monarch Watch You Tube
http://www.youtube.com/user/monarchwatch

BioEd Online
http://bioedonline.org/

thanks Mrs Ed

They look very strange in their chrysalis, hope they emerge ok. Not sure how they will be trying to hang to dry their wings.