So I didn't get to take any pictures but this has been a great week for the Monarchs. I had 1 eclose on Saturday followed by 4 yesterday and 3 today and there are still 5 more chrysalids and about 10 caterpillars and off course females laying eggs in the milkweed.
DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 80
Floral foam is a great idea! Thanks for all the suggestions. I will try cutting not in midday too.
Who is this?? I thought Question Mark when I found it, but it looks different from the one I had a couple years ago...but maybe I am not sure!
my biggest monarch cat...how big do they get??
I am checking them for signs of OE too...
I Think that's a buckeye.
OOPs, forgot to post mine from a couple years ago.
I found it in the road so I am assuming it was heading for a spot to pupate....otherwise I have no idea what it needs for food and may have to let it go.
Well Mine was on narrow leaf plantain. If it looks like it's ready to go, then keep it.
Looks like he is doing his thing!!
2 more of my monarch cats.
Awesome on the buckeye. The way those twin monarchs are posed in that picture, they remind me of striped socks! There could be a market for that. Shelia, it could go with your pendant.
Marna....I WISH I had a pendant, that was Debnes that got that as a gift. Those of you who weren't around then, it was a replica of a Monarch chrysalis complete with the gold flecks. Yep Deb needs socks to match! LOL!
Like this... http://www.birdjam.com/product_info.php?cPath=35&products_id=150
This message was edited Aug 17, 2010 6:41 AM
Sheila,
I forgot you are in TX...can you check out my thread that i need an ID in please? The 'Mimosa Sulphur' is common in TX...do you recognize it from my pic?
TIA :)
By gosh they do look like socks!
That pendant is cool!
Buckeye is attached now....so that is neat. I went to get fresh milkweed this morning and they are mowing the lot were I have been getting from....drats! It was just down from my house... so easy. Now I have to walk a little futher but there is plenty all around here.
It is amazing how fast they grow compared to the swallowtails!
Susan....LOL! You had me looking in this thread for a picture ...finally I looked for a new posting. Here is the link.... http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1123244/
Bummer on loosing the milkweed source. Here the Monarchs may have better pickings this year. The city is under budget restraints and isn't mowing as many of the medians as they usually do. I am seeing more of the antelope horn mw than ever.
This message was edited Aug 17, 2010 10:57 AM
Sheila,
Thanks for the great link for the 'Mimosa Sulphur'...another rare sighting here. I can barely contain my excitement!!!...LOL
Check my thread...I added more info and a pic about it :)
This message was edited Aug 17, 2010 11:46 AM
Thanks Sheila and Nanny for the butterfly info. ( about butterflies that like the ironweed plant for nectar) I put some over ripe grapes on the edge of our deck a few days ago and you should see all of the butterflies landing on them!! It's fun to watch them all. I need to pull out my butterfly book and mention the names of some of them.
Cuckoo
Yes, Cuckoo please do let us know what you have.
You are welcome Susan...not sure it is a MS, someone else like Dale or kennedy need to step in on that one. If you have any other pictures of it I would sure post them also, even if they are great. In trying to id it could help.
OH Shelia I could have SWORN that was you. Well after I crochet you some socks (I don't knit), I'll look into the pendant for ya! ha!
Susan you are on FIRE with those rare creatures at your house!
OMG...I was just outside looking at the fennel plants and counted 17 BST cats!! It's contagious! LOL
I do hope this is a gravid female Dorantes Longtail! Either that or this is one butterfly that drank too much!
~ Cat
Also outside this afternoon - catching the last of the sun's rays in the late afternoon - a White Peacock. Am always amazed at how much the colors can vary on this butterfly. I've seen the markings on them range from being a dark brown, to almost all white, to green, to red and to orange as is this one.
Here is the ventral view.
Same White Peacock - dorsal view. Sweet!
I do hope the White Peacocks frequenting my yard lay eggs on the ruellia or green shrimp or whatever it is they are supposed to use! Haven't gotten any frogfruit or bacopa to grow yet. Another on my list of things to do!!!
I see them in my yard but have yet to find any eggs or caterpillars.
~ Cat
Oh Cat that white peacock is gorgeous. HA on the big bellied longtail!
WOW Nanny! enjoy. Maybe you can cover the plant. I just checked my fennel and I couldn't find anything, though I know I saw her over there. Not that I was going to bring them in, 25 is enough!
Speaking of the 25. I hope they were delighted to get their new food. Al though I have plenty of the seedy parsley left, I bought two lush 4-packs at my favorite greenhouse in the area. The bad news is that they are harder to see in all that leafiness!
I'm really enjoying having these little meadow fritillaries this year. I've seen two at a time, in fact.
They like yellow flowers too!
Here's a buckeye underside. It's way less marbled than yours, Nanny.
And… opened
Cat....that long tail may have an allergy to flowers or a urinary blockage! LOL! Hope it was laying eggs, btw what do they use for a host plant there? I haven't seen any in my yard.
Mrs_ED.....Great shots as always. Yeah on the 25; they will make fast work of that parsley.
Out of my group of 12 or so queens that I brought in, only one has survived but then it hasn't tried to pupate yet. All of the others either just drop to the bottom floor or attach then hang limp. None of them were full size when it happened. One managed to make it through the chrysalis stage but died before it firmed up and dropped the skin. I haven't noticed the signs of OE so I feel it is just parasitic eggs. I have opened a couple and can't see what I think may have been a pupa. I am not so concerned with the Queens as I am for our Monarchs due to come through. I got a tagging kit for the first time this year and would love to have some to tag and release. Guess if I can't raise them, I will go out and catch them for tagging.
Sorry to hear about the Queens, Shelia. And thanks for the comments on the pix. Well the good news is that all 25 are not on that plant. I have I think 11 in one cage and 13 in another. Must remember to ask for new cages for Christmas!! Since I really didn't have any BSTs last year, I guess I'm a tad excited this year. I'm going to have to re-read all your info to figure out what to do about a hatchery I guess!
That MF is really cute Mrs.Ed...very nice pics!
At this point the fate of the BST is up to Mother Nature.
I had a round of BSTs already earlier this spring, I don't have anything but rue left for them. I will be sowing some parsley seeds this fall for sure.
As for the hatchery i think you are meaning a place for the chrysalis awaiting to eclose? If so I have found that pinning with the round headed pins is safer for emerging butterflies and much easier than the glue I used to use. I use styrofoam covered with a material for them to cling to. Just placing a large piece at an angle works great for Monarchs but the BST have the slings and can be pinned with the silk at the bottom after putting the pin through the sling. It is really easy if they have pupated on a stem of parsley, etc.; clip and pin, no messing with the silk.
This is a purchased cube, but I have made one from PVC before and covered it with tricot (material like inside swimwear). I sewed it with a drawstring at the top so when the butterflies emerged all I had to do was open it.
Way cool on those Meadow Frits. We don't get those here...but we make up for it with the Variegated, Mexican and Mexican Silverspot :o)
Funny about that Longtail - by the looks of that belly - that is one helluva UB!!! They use legumes, beggar ticks, cultivated beans - am hoping they'll make use of the Blue Pea Vine. I did have some green beans and lima beans plants in a pot but the sun and Texas heat did them in. Will have to plant more quickly!
Was outside a bit ago andsaw a Tawny Emperor floating in the birdbath. I fished it out and found out it was still alive. A wee bit worse for wear but still looking good. Glad I fished it out!
~ Cat
...and even set it on a bait dish. It quickly slurped up the stuff!!!
Nice save.
Swallowtail yesterday.
Thanks for the info Shelia. My two cubes are occupied with the cats, that's why I was thinking I'd need to make something new. LOVE how you have that set up.
Good timing, Cat. Of course it must have been starving after a nice swim!
Jack, love that combination of sunflower and swallowtail. They are so beautiful.
Here's a trio from the Tithonia…
First up a Monarch.
Then a Silver-spotted skipper. I was really surprised to see this guy because they are usually on my purple flowers. Can't pass up the Tithonia though I guess. Check out the incoming bee to the right.
And lastly a buckeye hanging out in the shady part. So sweet.
Oh, and I forgot, check out my Silver Spotted skipper video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtx6ciMgRSg
Nice pics Marna, but the video is too cool. I always want to do something like that but forget. Isn't is murphy's law though that they pic the worst looking flower to land on for a great photo op! LOL!
HA! I KNOW. I guess that coneflower still had some goodness left in it.
Is it me, or are the skippers way more acceptable to being photographed? I had what I think might have been a little yellow sulphur yesterday. it stopped for like two seconds. not long enough for me to even lift my camera.