Well, there are definetely other aphid snacks but milkweeds attract a specific aphid, so I doubt I can detour them. I had a lot of ladybugs and baby alligators plus the hover fly larvae this year which is how the plant even stayed alive. It would be covered then I'd go out and check and they'd suddenly be all gone. :) I guess my Swamp mw wasn't probably big enough to consider it's first year when I got it, so this would be it's first. Woohoo, I'll be waiting for it next year. I have to remember to mark where it dies down so we don't mow it in the spring.
Anyone know this cat?
There are several of both these I have available for $3.25 each. I could put them pot & all in the ground here for you and ship later in spring, or put em in a box fill top with shreded paper and ship em now. Just an offer. They are all blooming, and have seed pods. They are about 30" tall. Sidney
That is so sweet! Thank you so much, but you I should have plenty of milkweed next year. I've just let them reseed all over, but saved some in case. My one Swamp MW should be ok, but if I don't see it, I'll remember this! ;)
A. curassavica (Mexican milkweed) is a tender perennial in these parts and is treated as an annual here. I collected seed & was going to send you some. LOL! A. incarnata (swamp milkweed) I don't have. Would really like some seed from those. Maybe there is time to trick them? Probably not but, its worth a try! A spring shipment of held over plants would be great.
I'll see what happens.
In reply to what else do the Io cats eat? I have them on my red and yellow Chinese Hibiscus.
They don't sting, you just need to touch them to feel the sting. Perhaps they need to be a certain age before you can feel the sting.
On my hibiscus I can tell they are there when a small semi circle is eaten away from a leaf or two. They don't really feed, but occasionally will take a bite or two out of a leaf. I have on several occasions seen a cat with a bunch of smaller cats all over the larger one. Very similar to one of the pictures above.
I use a clear night light size bulb with a cover overhead to protect if from the rain to attract them during warm spring and summer evenings. It's kind of cool to be sitting out on the patio with friends when one of them approaches and hangs out a bit. Usually this happens when we are outdoors due to a celestial event. The moths appearance make it a very memorable event.
Art mentioned in the PF that he had a butterfly lay eggs on a plumbago.
I invited this newcomer to come join us in B & H.
Thanks Art.
Sidney
Pleased to meet you Art!
John
Thanks for reviving this thread, artcons .. and for posting the additional info too!
And, a big ol 'hearty' welcome to DG to ya also!!
- Magpye
Hi, Mags! I think artcons will be an asset to our garden! :-)
Thanks for the welcome.
A couple of weeks ago I noted a Miami Blue was laying eggs on my Plumbago bush. It's not exactly the same as the few pictures of the Miami Blue's I have seen, none of which are barely more than decent.
At any rate I saw one laying eggs on March 11 & 12. I saw it again on the 20th and 21st. Then yesterday the 22nd I saw two of them on the same bush.
If it's a Miami Blue, it's extremely rare. If I have them, seeing two at the same time might indicate I have a colony of them.
I first spotted this butterfly this past December on weeds in my yard. The weeds resembled mini dasies. I dug up a couple and moved them into the Sable palm shaded Monarch area on my N.E. corner. I wanted to have the flowers they appeared to be feeding on available after I cut the lawn, just in case. These weeds are the only plant I have seen them feed on. I leave all weeds in the yard for most of December and January because there is very little else blooming that butterflies seem to feed on that time of the year. Once we get into February more and more blooms become available. Because of this I have a decent variety of butterflies in the yard all year round.
The two I have seen with their wings closed, are about the size of my index fingernail. Their color is just about the same as a Plumbago flower that has been open for several days, not the bright blue first bloom color.
I am making a trip "up north" April 8th. I will pick up my 33mm from my daughter and perhaps I will be able to get a few pictures when I get back around the 13th. Perhaps then someone can positively identify it for me.
These butterflies are about the prettiest I have seen. The patterns on their wings are clearly defined with the upper wing resembling a fine lace pattern with a few semi circles in various colors. They both have semi circle "eyes" on their lower wings near the outer fringes of the lower wing. My examination was limited to a few scant seconds when they were laying the eggs. Otherwise they are almost a blur as they quickly zig zag away.
I live in the Riverland area of Fort Lauderdale. This area has produced rare butterflies in the past. Less than a mile from my yard is about a square mile stand of live oak trees. In this area the land, even though developed, is almost wild. There is an abundance of native fauna. Perhaps this is where they came from. I recently saw an article from UF indicating they recently released a bunch of these butterflies. I know UF has visited several sites in this area several times observing rare butterflies. They don't give out the location, but everyone here knows the general area they visit. If anyone can contribute to what I have described, I would appreciate the input.
Art
This message was edited Mar 23, 2005 9:41 AM
Thanks Art, you are a blessing to us. Sidney