Hi Melanie, do you recognize this little guy? Found him on the hot surface of the cement-walkway. I think he must have lost his foot hold from the water oak above. So I picked him up added some oak leaves and brought him in. He's 'bleeding' and looked dehydrated. Not sure if he will make it but I hope that he would.
Oh yah, thanks for helping us with our caterpillar craving, LOL.
I don't recognize him; probably some kind of moth. But it sounds like you're doing the right thing with him.
Melanie
Not a great light source here on the couch, but here's a picture of my biggest Black ST cat in his sling. Just waiting for him to make that chrysalis any moment. I had to cut the piece of fennel he was on and tape him to the side because the other cats were trying to eat the stem he was on.
Melanie
LOL!! I was wondering if you if you ever had to do that , cutting or moving , I raised those BST's a while ago I was doing that all time ,,
Chomp ..Chomp.. Chomp... Seemed like 24 hours a day every six hours ...
Still only Cabbage and Hairstreaks here .. it's something anyway ..
This message was edited Jun 28, 2013 7:47 PM
Well, it rained this morning and is still sprinkling lightly so the butterflies are mostly in hiding. I caught this Duskywing on the coneflower as I left this morning. There were actually two of them flying around. Then, I saw a Gulf Frit that had just molted and wanted to share that. After that I saw a caterpillar on my plumbago. I couldn't get close enough to it to get a good photo but it looks like a Wooly Bear to me. I left him alone in any case. Finally, three Gulf Frits were outside flying around and this one stopped to bask for a moment.
Mom found three more Monarchs this morning and I found one so it looks like the museum will have a few new residents tomorrow. Also, Mom got up early and went to the store to buy organic parsley for my Black ST piggies. You have to be careful with "organic" because the BT pesticide that kills caterpillars is considered organic since it's a naturally occurring bacteria. But I've bought parsley from this store before with no problems so I'm hoping it will be all right.
Melanie
I saw a Great Spangled Fritillary yesterday!! No Monarchs yet. The wild milkweed is starting to bloom here so I will be watching.
still waiting (sigh) A very cold rainy day doesn't help .. either ..
A very rainy day here today so not many butterflies. The caterpillars are keeping me busy, though. I was cleaning the Black ST cage and splitting them into two cages when I accidentally knocked one down. Unfortunately, he was in the middle of molting. So to fix that, I have him stuck to a piece of Scotch tape. He can't resilk a pad to molt on anymore (his head capsule is too low blocking the spinaret) so I made him a pad of sticky tape instead. He's just kind of hanging there so I think it will work. I'll keep an eye on him for when he molts in case he needs my help.
Melanie
It has been a very rainy day today but I still managed to get some butterflying in. At MOSI we only had the flight cage open for a little while but I managed to let a few families in to look around and take pictures. Some of the people had those huge cameras that said they were serious about photography! The first picture of a female Orange-Barred Sulphur is from MOSI.
I ran into a family in the garden while I was looking for caterpillars. I showed them the Polydamas caterpillars I had found and then it became an all-out contest to see who could find the most. The kids were really good but the adults were finding them, too! I ended up with about thirty - most of them fifth instars! It was Polydamas insanity! I also found some Black STs on the rue which was neat because I hadn't seen any at the museum yet.
Back home I went out to pick some rue for the Giant STs and caught some butterflies basking in between rainstorms. The White Peacock was back out front (second picture). Then, the Gulf Frit was on the coreopsis; I'm glad they're starting to use it. I couldn't get pictures of the Duskywing or Zebra Longwing but they were out there, too. Finally, I found two more Monarchs that were on milkweed sticks so I moved them over to plants that actually had leaves on them.
Melanie
Loving all the pics!! Thanks so much to all of you (mostly in the southern states?) for sharing. We've had so much rain this year (nearly every day, recently). Lots of Cabbage Whites, but that's it...although I did just see a Red Admiral a little while ago...Yay! Last year we had so many Red Admirals they'd sometimes land on me!
My Echinacea is starting to bloom and my Monarda is about to. Maybe that will bring in some different varieties...I hope so.
Here something from this afternoon ((?))
Nice! Either a Question Mark or a Comma. I don't know how anyone can tell the difference; they look so much alike. I've only ever seen one and that was in West Virginia. Very neat little butterfly.
Melanie
Truth is there are lots of them in real hot years . they sit near gravel piles warming themselves , I did the little questionaire for humor .. only most are likely comma's .
Still with all pollen perfume and overripe plums (the ones that got wormy ) falling to the ground , a few of either were bound to show up ..
This one was , having a milkweed & plum tea....lol
I forgot to thank you also ,, I forgot about the Comma BF's while doing that post , The info with "Question Mark & Comma BF' s "
I just couldn't seem to remember for the moment ,,
Must of been the excitement or something , I actually got one of the pic 's to be clear enough ,, and a different BF for today ! lol ^_^
Nice Question Mark, there Juhur. I haven't seen one yet this year, though I usually have them on the rotting fruit or butterfly brew. I'll have to check my records to see when their flights are here, as I can't remember.
love love love that white peacock, Mel.
I see some parsley has been chomped, but does not seem like the way a BST eats and I can't see any cats or frass. I'll have to check tomorrow when it is light out.
I had my first Monarch at the house this weekend, although I've been seeing them sporadically at work for a few weeks now. He kept lighting on a Viburnum Odoratissimum, but no flowers on it. Couldn't figure out why...
Genna, the Mt. Magazine Butterfly Festival was a fun, informative event. A butterfly tent and photo contest at the Logan county fairgrounds and lots of programs on butterflies and hummingbirds at the Mt. Magazine Visitors Center.
My talented brother-in-law won "Best of Show" in the photography with a painted lady butterfly photo. Also Lady butterfly was fluttering about the streets of Paris during the festival.
I did manage a few butterfly pictures.
In regard to butterfly plants in Arkansas, I recommend cultivated and wildflowers, annuals and perennials. Butterfly bush, zinnias, marigolds, lantana (new gold), tropical milkweed, rose verbena, black eyed susan, asters, coneflowers, pentas, salvia, Mexican heather, Callibrocha, coreopsis, blanket flowers, and sunflowers. Yellow and orange colors seem to be preferred in annual flowers with red and purples a nice second choice. Some flowers like crepe myrtle and roses rarely attract butterflies.
I love that first picture of the pink lady,. so rare!!! ;-)
HA! :)
Haha!
Okay how about Ha ha ha !!!! LOL!!!
I'm having a good "belly laugh" at the moment!
This message was edited Jul 1, 2013 1:19 PM
Pink Lady...Good one!
I caught a glimpse of this little one in the yard today, but didn't get any pics of the underside of the wings. Looks like a crescent, but I can't find the exact one in my guides. It moved quickly, didn't land for long and was constantly opening and closing wings. This was the best picture I have.
I finally realized the BFs haven't gone anywhere, I just haven't been available to take their pictures. I have MANY GF cats and they are quickly devouring the passion flower vines. I found a couple of monarch cats and saw quite a few small blues this afternoon. We had a rain shower yesterday morning that really helped the plants.
Russell
Russell, that's a nice pic of a Pearl crescent. You should have lots of Gulf fritillaries soon. Send some my way; up north to Arkansas. Plenty of flowers and passion vine to be enjoyed.
Thanks Shorthog. I guess there is some variability in the coloration of these guys. That's the first one I have noticed in the yard. Always nice to see something new. The Gfs should be prolific soon. I will send some up to you. ;)
Russell
Well, the deluge has stopped for the moment so I got a few pictures. First, is one I got yesterday while in between rain bands. This Gulf Frit was hiding in the butterfly garden and I scared it up when I went to pick some food. Then, today it was coneflower day. The Zebra Longwing was on the coneflower; I guess that's one more I can add to its nectar favorites. Then, I caught two of the many Duskywings that were flying around on the coneflowers. Then, a Long-Tailed Skipper sneaked in on the porterweed. Finally, as I was standing, looking at the coneflowers, Dad said, "Turn to your left." And there was a Spicebush! Haven't seen one in a little while. This one was a boy but with my spicebush beig temporarily toxic, I don't want anything laying eggs on it. It has put out some new growth with all this rain; maybe soon it will be safe to munch on.
Melanie
lovely pics. Melanie. You mentioned that the 'spicebush' being slightly toxic. How long will the toxin be out of its system so that your butterfly can safely lays eggs on the host plant? Last year I experience a great loss of many a Monarch caterpillars on a nursery bought MW. I hope to avoid such disastrous event this year.
Found another RSP this morning. It was looking for mineral on the ground.
Ooh, I love RSPs. Not enough of them down here. I'm hoping my Spicebush should be ok in a couple of weeks. I think the torrential rains we've been having will help wash off anything that might have been on it. I know when I had the same problem with my Giant Milkweed I had healthy caterpillars on it within a month or so of buying it. So I'm hoping it'll be the same thing with the Spicebush. I guess I'll know when I get healthy caterpillars on it!
Melanie
On the case of my MW last year. All the Monarch cats. were seemingly healthy, right onto the day they begun to spin their silk; only then they begun to show problem, by going limp and couldn't proceed further. I was so blue. No more toxic substances are allowed anywhere near my butterflies garden. A lesson hard learned. Good lucks with yours.
Was out and about looking at the slow goings in the garden . came upon a giant white skipper sleeping or resting under an apple tree .
can't pic white or yellow too good (if at all yet) so your all spared my effort today lol .
Thread stray, came upon a Dragonfly hornet this afternoon , that and about a dozen bees on the Milkweed .
Those Dragonfly hornet's are cutest bug I ever saw . (I always wanted to say to someone) "Hey look a Flying Crawdad!!! lol
This why I put that here today
This Dragonfly today was dusky green & could possibly have been a Hummingbird Moth , dusky green color and sounds like a hummer
Only so do the yellow colorated , and black colorated Dragonfly hornets ,, Hard to tell sometimes
This message was edited Jul 2, 2013 5:50 PM
This message was edited Jul 2, 2013 6:05 PM
I finally have caterpillars so I can stop being jealous of your photos. I had 4 black swallowtail eggs hatch. If we can figure out how to take a photo through a magnifying lens, I will show them off (and lie about how big they are).
pollengarden, please send me some caterpillars.
Don't give up hope - my caterpillars are several weeks late this year. I always grow dill for them, and it was crowded and going to seed, and still no caterpillars. I was in the process of thinning/removing the dill when I found the eggs. And I must have had a butterfly I didn't see - the eggs didn't lay themselves.
About a week ago a black swallowtail caterpillar which was reared on bronze fennel pupated on a twig in the aquarium pillar house. Success!!! Today, a black beauty emerged. After drying and stretching his wings, it soared out of sight. A thank you would have been appreciated but I'm happy with the results.
Doing that is Wonderful !!!
Had a few more visitors yesterday.
Bordered Patch on Coreopsis.
Same individual on Lantana.
GF on Passionflower.
Army of 3!
Hairstreak?
Had a few GSTs fly by, but they didn't stop long enough to pose. Things are looking up!
Russell
Russell:
Nice shots. Been having some Bordered Patches up here in my yard, too. The last one is an Eastern Tailed-blue (Cupido comyntas).
Dale Clark
Dallas County Lepidopterists' Society
www.dallasbutterflies.com
Lots of summer flowers blooming and happy butterflies. Wishing everyone a safe and glorious Fourth.
Some of yesterdays butterflies.
1. Juniper hairstreak
2. Silvery checkerspot
3. American lady
4. Red admiral
5.Wood nymph
Well, I can only see the thumbnails since DG is screwing up again, but I love that Juniper Hairstreak! Looks like some of you are finally starting to get a good diversity of butterflies.
Melanie
