Russell, what great photos! Really shows off the blue shimmer on the Pipevines.
I had many Monarchs flying around but none wanted their picture taken today. Mom brought in about a dozen Monarch caterpillars and then I found about a dozen more on the native milkweed. They'll all be going to the museum tomorrow.
I did get a nice photo of the Gulf Frit and its caterpillar.
Melanie
BCH521...Yay! And Mellilong too said tussock moth, Who knew such a fantastic looking cat would becom a rather hohum moth? Although, beauty is in the eye of the beholder,or in the case of cammoflage, not in the eye,Haha...if you get eaten for being too pretty and noticeable, pretty is a liability and hohum is the new pretty. Make sense?
Did you read the info on the adult moth of that cat? The female is flightless!
Nice pics Russell and Melody. I saw a PVST on my Prairie Phlox yesterday, but I had been doing yard work and had just sat down; too lazy to go in for the camera!
This message was edited May 4, 2013 8:05 PM
Yes, I was really surprised, Is a wingless moth still a moth? She makes up for the lack of wings with a large egg deposit. Even though it didn't have the characteristic red head, there is no other look alike, so the ID is right. I kept my eye out for more that year and ever since, but have never seen another. I am so glad I didn't pick it up since it may sting. The fuzz is so inviting to touch. The cats are fuzzy and then the adult moths have furry bodies. so nice and velvet-y.
PVST is soooo lovely. The photo does capture it;s iridescent blue wings very well. They are among my favorite BF's and i really want to grow a pipevine, but have not found either seeds or plants anywhere local. I see seeds from a few mail order co.s, but i have not ordered. Is it a sun or shade lover?
I have one word - HUMMINGBIRD!!! I was inside my shade house fertilizing my orchids when I turned around and saw something flying in the butterfly garden. Sure enough, a hummingbird was hitting up my red pentas! Then, to my amazement, it started sipping from my bromeliad! How interesting is that?! Here's a couple pictures of it.
Now for the butterflies I saw in the yard today. I saw a Buckeye puddling over where we had to dig up the lid to our septic system (to have it emptied) a few weeks ago. Then, I let go a female Monarch. A few minutes after this picture a male came along and they flew off together to make little caterpillars (like I don't have enough already). Not a great shot, but I caught a skipper on some of my pentas. Then, a Zebra Longwing was on the porterweed, as usual.
I also saw a Gulf Fritillary but it didn't want to stop. I took about two dozen Monarch cats to the museum today so they should be good for a while. And hopefully my milkweed can recover. I found five more Monarch cats in the garden this afternoon. It's never-ending!
The last picture is of some eggs laid by either the Great Southern White or the Checkered White on Cleome (Spider Plant). This is in the flight cage at the museum. I also took one of the Polydamas cats out and me and kids and grown ups alike had fun petting him. Volunteering there is loads of fun and I get to talk about butterflies and caterpillars for as long as I want!
Melanie
Melanie -- great shots. Such diversity. Your yard must be a great place to just sit back and watch all the life go about its business. Those are Great Southern White eggs on the cleome. GSWs oviposit in clusters like that while Checkered Whites oviposit one at a time in different locations.
Dale Clark
Dallas County Lepidopterists' Society
www.dallasbutterflies.com
Thanks Dale, my yard is indeed an interesting place. I live on a 1/2 acre lot so I always say you don't need a lot of space to get some good diversity. You have to plant the right plants is all. And thanks for reminding me about the Checkered Whites; I've seen them oviposit before but forgot they do it one at a time. I love being able to tell what butterfly it will be just by looking at the eggs. That always amazes people at the museum.
Melanie
It amazes ME!
Fantastic shot of the eggs Melody, since Dale identified, you should post it on the GSW data base.
I love volunteering with the butterfly exhibits here. Wish I was closer to Dale, he would have me hounding him to help at his farm even! LOL!
So you guys know, I am going to start the FL Paintbrush again this week. I will keep the rabbits at bay and see what happens. Line up around the block for a small plant in the fall. ;)
Thanks for letting me play.
A.
Sheila, I'd definitely put you to work at the farm. I look around every day and there's so much to be done I don't even know where to start. Eventually, it gets under control but right now the place looks a wreck. Amanda -- hope the FL Paintbrush works for you. I'm still watching some seed that was sown in a tray a number of weeks ago but so far, no luck. I've still got some Cassia marilandica seeds for you -- send me a dmail with your address if you're still wanting them.
Dale Clark
Dallas County Lepidopterists' Society
www.dallasbutterflies.com
Some of the usual suspects came out to play yesterday.
Queen on Mistflower, PV Swallowtail on Lantana, Monarch on Butterfly bush and then on Mistflower.
Looks like rain today, so we probably won't get many visitors. Have a happy Mother's day!
Russell
Mornin'!
Yakmon, those pics are a lovely wake-up image.better than a hallmark card for Mother's day.
So, I have been looking for pipevine to grow in the yard and attract PVST's but have found mostly Dutchman's pipevine in catalogs. Is this a good type? I look for it growing wild around here, but Kudzu seems to be all i see.
Also, I know everyone has been on the edge of their seats since last fall, waiting to find out if my dark knight butterfly bush is going to grow(ha) ..........I am happy to announce, it has reached almost 1 foot in heighth,3 nice stems and some bushier growth around the bottom. WOOHOO! Now, I wonder if it will flower? Tune in next time .....(dramatic music cue)
Scarletbean, I am glad you enjoyed the pictures. I am happy to see some BFs returning to the garden. I had a few weeks of very low activity which is unusual for this part of the world. I found this article about host plants for PV swallowtails. Maybe you can get some information from here. I don't have any of the host plants, but I have many PV swallowtails that visit for nectar. They seem most interested in the lantana and duranta erecta, but I have also seen them feeding on orange pride of Barbados.
http://www.nababutterfly.com/aristolochia_host_plant.html
Good luck and congratulations on your success with dark knight!
Russell
Just a few pics from the last two days. First, a duskywing that was hanging in the yard. Then, a Gulf Frit. Then, one of many Monarchs that stayed on with me. Finally, a Gulf Frit caterpillar on my passiflora.
I forgot my camera at the museum today, but we got some more Malachites in! I also captured a Spicebush ST. Hopefully, it's a girl and she'll lay some eggs!
Melanie
Lots of butterfly activity with the increase in sunshine and temperature.I do most of my sightings in my backyard or former Fort Chaffee fields and road edges. Although I have some flowers in bloom, there is very little BF activity at home. A variety of BF's are present offsite where mating and oviposting seems to be the main activities.
Numerous American ladies, Variegated frits, Goatweed leafwings, and Buckeyes are active and I even saw my first Viceroy and Hoary edge skipper of the season.
I do have a few Sachem skippers in the yard flowers but hopefully I will get some other species soon.
1. Viceroy
2. American lady
3. Hoary edge
4. Variegated fritillary
5. Snout
Nice SH! I didn't see any BFs today, but did capture this moth hanging out on the jade plant near the back door.
Russell
Well no pics , seen a frit , spotted skipper and a Sulphur the past three days , Thanks for the pix , Snouts use to feed on my spearmint , have not seen any in 2 seasons , That is a neat looking BF ..
Some pictures from today - a Monarch, an unknown skipper, and a Zebra Longwing. If you look close, you can see the pollen on the Zebra's proboscis. They eat pollen as well as nectar and it allows them to live up to 6-9 months.
Melanie
Nice pics shorthog and melanie. Russell, that's a Vine Sphinx (Eumorpha vitis). I really like watching all the different sphinx moths.
Dale Clark
Dallas County Lepidopterists' Society
www.dallasbutterflies.com
Thanks for the ID dale. I noticed the subtle differences from the other species I have seen, but couldn't put my finger on the correct ID. Your knowledge is amazing!
Russell
No kidding! Golly I have never seen most of these in person.
Jessica, someone warned me off of Aristolochia (sp.) Last season saying it was toxic ...I had seeds from th newbies trade but didn't plant them. I can't remember what that was about.
Caught a little butterfly action today as the Gulf Frits were fritting each other, LOL! Also, saw a Duskywing and a Monarch.
Melanie
Lots of butterflies out today with the sunshine after two days of cloudy, rainy weather but my main interest was a few stalks of wild milkweed near a road edge. Only saw a couple of Monarch cats but I noted that a cat on one leaf had methodically severed the veins from the main stem to the area engested. It is my understanding that the latex presents a sticky hazard for Monarch cats so they need to avoid leaking latex. A pic of the cat shows its handy work of the severed veins to the eaten area.
Shorthog , that is so interesting!
I went looking for some milkweed and cats last week and made a big, dumb blunder! Last year, the same area had MW and many wild flowers as well as cats. So I went this year and took a shovel to bring home some MW (with permission) . So, I got a few stalks, carefully dug and babied. I got all eaten up by mosquitos, sweated like crazy, cursed like a sailor, etc. So, I get home and want to be sure of the MW variety by looking it up. I realized I had brought home DOGBANE! *%#@!!!!
I was just out picking milkweed and my fingers were sticking together so I can imagine how hazardous it is for the cats. Oh, and I brought one more inside. He'll probably go to the museum with the others tomorrow.
Today, I went hiking in one of my favorite areas to go see the Florida Butterfly Orchids that live there. There was only one in bloom and the rest in bud so I guess I'll have to go back in a couple of weeks. While there, I saw a Buckeye, Barred Yellows, Zebra Swallowtail, and a Palamedes Swallowtail. I only managed to get pics of the Palamedes. They hang out in swamps a lot because their hosts are bay trees that live in wetlands. So that's where I tend to go hiking. Luckily, now is the dry season.
I got back home and saw the usual suspects. The Monarch, this skipper that was sitting on my Giant Milkweed, the Gulf Fritillary, and the Zebra Longwing. There were two Zebra Longwings and one laid eggs on my Passiflora caerulea! I also saw a Checkered Skipper and a Barred Yellow but they wouldn't hold still for pictures.
Melanie
Help?granted it wasnt home, but I was picking out additional plants for the house and after being all over everywhere it posed...
*sigh* Oh mellielong, I want to come and live in your yard.
Kittriana, that looks like a well-worn Spicebush Swallowtail to me.
Scarlet, it's a little warm to live in my yard right now, but I'd let you set up a tent, LOL!
Melanie
Ty!
New thread this one is nearing 200 posts!
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1313552/
