Daily Pictures #94

I have been seeing sooo many Mourning Cloaks this year...I can't believe it!! I have also seen a couple TST flying by so it looks like this year will be much better than last year!!

Ooooh, Sheila, even Elegan pipevine is toxic to our Pipevines butterflies? I've learnt in the past that Gigantea is, but Elegan TOO?

I guess I'm ignorant - tell me - which pipevine I am supposed to plant for larval host?

I use A. trilobata for my caterpillars. It's safe for both kinds although I've never attracted Pipevine STs at my house. They're kind of rare around here.

Melanie

Dad was so proud to have chased this Zebra Longwing around and finally get a shot of it that I'm posting it here. It was flying around the garage until Dad shooed it out.

Melanie

I was watching a monarch this morning,it looked like it was considering laying eggs on the green milkweed. Guess I will find that out later.

Howdy Amanda:

By all means post pictures of the caterpillar. I will never laugh at moth caterpillars. To me moths are every bit as important and interesting as butterflies. It's funny -- every time I'm giving a talk somewhere, someone in the audience will ask a question about some caterpillar eating something in their yard and ask "is this some butterfly caterpillar I should leave alone or is it something that I can...." and then they trail off and don't finish their sentence. Basically they're wanting the okay to kill it. Moths get such a bad reputation, and in most cases it's undeserved. After all, they're just butterflies of the night.

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

Well stated Dale,

Yeah, dead batteries in the camera so no pictures.

You need not worry or wonder what happens to bugs in my gardens. No pesticides, no squishing or squashing, except maybe a mosquito now and then, and a lifeguard on duty at every bird bath in case any buggy needs saving. Who can say the value of a life?

I have made a wonderful observation of honey bees - they propel themselves thru the water on their backs with their wings while their body is curled upwards with head out of water - I suppose eventually they propel themselves to safety. I have seen this at least 3x this spring in my main bird bath, so I have placed some large white quartz stones in there so everybody can pull themselves out when the lifeguard goes off duty. Of course, those 3 have received stern warnings, and I haven't seen them since.

Have a great day everybody - heavy rain here this afternoon and only cabbage whites to report this morning. Did I mention I had an actual hummer sighting yesterday so the feeders were filled fresh immediately.

A.

That reminds me, I need to fill my feeder. Dad released two Monarchs for me while I was at the movies and then I released three more. I've got a pretty bad parasite and OE problem. Dad's been going around spraying all the wasps he sees and as soon as this batch of Monarchs is done I'm going to clean the tank with vinegar. I had to throw out a lot of chrysalises and a few butterflies that didn't make it. That always bums me out but at least I had quite a few healthy ones.

The Giant STs are hatching and getting slightly bigger. They're happily munching on rue. Pictures once they get old enough, LOL!

Melanie

I guess I'll start a new thread, as this is over 200.

Let's go here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1257230/

I got some pics of a Morning Cloak that had been flying around my yard. I caught it "asleep" on my patio chair and took a couple pics. Then it flew over and landed on one of the kids chairs and spread it's wings for me. Just like it was posing. I need to get it downloaded from my camera.

LOL! Glad you got some good shots...please share.

I am so jealous, y'all have such a large selection of B'flies. I try so hard to do plants that attract BF and hummers. Has any one heard of the green sand for a bfy puddle? I got the beer receipe but how about the green sand for elecotrolties and minerals? I have a pond and lost all my frogs last year but the hummers and bflys are already around even though I do not have the varity that y'all seem to have...I guess Jersey is not a prime spot. R there any Jesey growers out there? everyone seems to be from TX or FL or some other nice warm spots

Help is much appreciated..

Welcome quaqbe:

There's a new thread started here for page 95:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1257230/

Patti and Shelia - everybody? ...

Hello, I am new to this thread but an avid butterfly "watcher" & I do have a garden that attracts bf's!
Quaqbe, I use Texas green sand a lot & I have not found it to attract bf's to puddle. I haven't given up though as things can change year to year. I used regular sand last year with no success at all, so that is why I changed over this year. Hope this helps.

Hi Cindy:

Thanks for your observations on texas green sand.

Please join us on our new discussion thread:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1257230/

Thanks!