That color is really cool!
Daily Picture 84 started 12-11-10
It's 7degrees here in CT, another snow storm on the way, You guys are SO lucky! Not a butterfly in sight here.
I never see the ventral side of the buckeyes, guess because they are so non-descript colored. I love the brightly patterned dorsal side. Wish I had more of them in my yard.
Here's a Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme) pupa nearing the point of emergence. This is one of the butterflies that is on the wing here in North Texas throughout the winter.
Dale Clark
Dallas County Lepidopterists' Society
www.dallasbutterflies.com
Evidently I didn't attach the file...
Dale Clark
Dallas County Lepidopterists' Society
www.dallasbutterflies.com
pretty!
I wish we had more Sulphurs here, they are so pretty but they seem to be scarce.
Nice shot! I see them but they are few and far between. They seem to briefly light on the yellow leaves in the fall, maybe thinking they are senna blooms or other sulphurs.
Sheila:
Sulphurs, particularly Cloudless Sulphurs (Phoebis sennae), often use similarly colored leaves to roost on so they "blend in" to their surroundings.
Josephine:
We have a good half dozen resident species here in North Texas and at least as many more that emigrate north into the area each year. Some native host plants are Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata), Lindheimer's Senna/Velvet Leaf Senna (Senna lindheimeriana), Maryland Senna (Senna marilandica), to name a few. Orange Sulphurs are going to go for various clovers and alfalfa.
Dale Clark
Dallas County Lepidopterists' Society
www.dallasbutterflies.com
Dale, I have all those plants, I guess they have to find them first, but I am sure it will happen one of these days.
Hey Josephine you were lucky enough to have a dogface so don't whine....LOL!
You are right Sheila, it is just that those flashes of yellow are so beautiful!!!
I have lots of sulphurs here in the fall. Not sure what the cats are eating. Maybe cabbage? Mustard greens? They sure are pretty.
Here's an Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme) settling down for the night on some yellowed leaves of Fragrant Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima). Had I not watched it land there I probably would have walked right past it and not noticed.
On another note: yesterday's unseasonably warm weather was used to do a task I was not looking forward to -- taking down a damaged and diseased American Elm in my front yard. The upside is that I now have about a 50' x 50' space that will be full sun that I get to plant with lots of nectar and host plants! Can hardly wait for Spring!
Dale Clark
Dallas County Lepidopterists' Society
www.dallasbutterflies.com
Yes, it is sad to lose a tree, but there is a good side to it also.
That is the up side of removing trees. But when that 100+ weather hits we will be looking for that missed shade.
I would have never seen that bf great camo on that branch. I saw a couple of the very dark orange small ones yesterday, but didn't get close enough to know what they were. But it was nice to see some action.
I did see a Sulphur fleeting by yesterday, so pretty!!!
Kind of like a plant budding out ...spring is on it's way. But first we have to get another deep freeze.
Okay, I'm cheating again, since this pic of a Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) was taken inside my flight cage, but I thought some of us stuck in the latest big freeze might need a little butterfly warmth today to remind us that spring will eventually come again. Sleet/snow on the ground this morning with the wind howling and temps expected in the single digits here in the Dallas area. We're not used to that kind of cold! Stay warm all.
Yes, it is just too cold for me, but what choice do we have?
Nice picture Dale. I don't mind you showing the flight cage activity at all. It reminds me why I am planting seeds now to have for the butterflies in the spring.
I bet you have been busy getting ready for the cold weather. I pray you have no outages etc. to deal with this year.
Okay, I can't take it anymore. Were going to get one to two feet of snow, so pardon my indulgence while I post a butterfly picture from the summer.
This is a Regal Fritillary. Some of you may remember that I am a monitor for the Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network. My site is a nature conservancy property, so quality prairie. That is why I get to see these beauties. Although SusanLouise gets them in her yard.
My first workshop for monitoring is only a few weeks away!!!
Gorgeous Fritillary Mrs Ed!!!
Thanks!
Mrs. Ed -- never apologize for posting a pic of a Regal Fritillary! I've only been lucky enough to see them once in my life while visiting a friend up in Virginia. Such a stunning species. You know you're in trouble when the weather forecast for your area is measuring snow in feet instead of inches! Hang in there.
Sheila -- I'll be more than a little anxious over the next several days. Thankfully, I didn't get any big amount of freezing rain -- just sleet and snow, which at least doesn't weigh down the powerlines. As long as I maintain power things should be fine, if a little on the chilly side in the flight cage and greenhouses. The heaters will be going all night, I'm sure to maintain the temps. If the sun comes out tomorrow and the rest of the week like they're predicting then at least it will warm up nicely during the day in there and I'll just have to hold my breath at night.
Stay warm!
Dale Clark
Dallas County Lepidopterists' Society
www.dallasbutterflies.com
Very pretty Marna, worthy of it's name.
Thanks both. Hey Dale, how big is that flight cage/greenhouse?
Very nice!!
Mrs. Ed:
My flight cage is roughly 48' x 28' (if my memory is working properly). Then the two greenhouses are 22' x 30'. The propane tanks got filled yesterday and will be working overtime this week. Here's a shot of the front entrance to the flight cage (with the other greenhouses to the right).
Dale Clark
Dallas County Lepidopterists' Society
www.dallasbutterflies.com
And here's a shot of all three, with a little bit of the gardens to boot.
Dale Clark
Dallas County Lepidopterists' Society
www.dallasbutterflies.com
That's it I'm moving to Texas!! lol
Can't believe DH's uncle is leaving Texas for Tennessee this month & beginning retirement!
This message was edited Feb 1, 2011 3:01 PM
Nanny -- It doesn't look like that now! Those pics were taken back in November, just before our first freeze. I'll see if I can muster the courage to go out and take a snapshot now.
Dale Clark
Dallas County Lepidopterists' Society
www.dallasbutterflies.com
Thanks Dale. I've wondered what I'd have to do to have butterflies year 'round! I suppose move towards a conservatory and volunteer! ha!
Made it through the night with no problems -- heaters kept the greenhouses and flight cage warm enough but not toasty by any means. Was feeling a little relief this morning and then the threat of rolling blackouts came on the news. I didn't think it would be possible, but I managed to snag (rent) the last generator from Home Depot and now have it installed and ready to use if need be.
Here's a random butterfly pic -- a Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis) larva. Believe it or not, these guys (in smaller, earlier instars) are down on the ground buried in the leaf litter beneath your hackberry trees, riding out this cold spell, perfectly happy and safe. In spring when the new leaves appear they'll awaken from their diapause and crawl up the tree trunk to find a nice meal and finish their metamorphosis.
Dale Clark
Dallas County Lepidopterists' Society
www.dallasbutterflies.com
Great picture Dale.
Cool Dale! I did not know that the cats overwintered. I thought the chrysalides did.
Goodness, then that may be why my two dogs are digging around the hackberry trees. One I know eats grub worms, sniffs them out, digs and chomps....yuck!! I think she may also be the reason I didn't find many BST cats on my parsley last year. I never saw her eat one but she always wandered over that way.
I never thought dogs could turn out to be butterfly predators, but that is one more to add to the list.
I will be watching her closer this spring since I found her eating grubs.
She's a protein nut!!!
Thankfully I don't have that problem, I have one dog peeing on the parsley though. Guess I need to fence it!