Not me -- I'm flyboyFL. But what is this butterfly that looks like branches? This is my first fling into butterflies --- but it's in the same forum with hummers. So, please humor me.
What am I?
I think it might be a fritillary of some kind....maybe gulf?
Sorry I'm not more help, but bet one of the resident 'flying flower' experts will come along in a while and tell us for sure what kind it is.
Mary
mjtip:
Mary:
Well I am on the gulf. It has a dull crimson on its upper wings. It does become hard to spot with its wings folded, sitting in this little Key Lime .
Brad
Check this out, Brad.
http://mamba.bio.uci.edu/~pjbryant/biodiv/lepidopt/nymph/gulf.htm
mjtip:
You're right. It is a "gulf fritillary." imway2dumb conclusively settled it. Thanks
Brad
imway2dumb:
Well you've proved it again. youreway2smart.
Thanks
Brad
imway2dumb:
I looked, again, at the web site to which you directed me. Compare that photo with mine. How different the little varmint appears when it's sitting on a blossom. But you can hardly see it when it's in the bare branches.
Ain't nature wonderful!
Brad
Especially when you consider the 'stages' this critter goes through. :-)
Oh Good!
Yes, flyboyFL, nature is wonderful and intriguing, especially up close and personal, as I got with some of these a couple of years ago. Had the cats on my P. incarnata vines and brought some inside and watched all the stages through to the butterfly..fascinating!
Thanks for the link, imway2dumb...I'd forgotten just how 'fierce' those rascals look as cats..those spines look pretty lethal, don't they? I don't think they sting or anything, but carefully avoided touching them, nevertheless.
You are right they don't sting but, some moth cats do!
John
It's a jungle -- out there.
Oops...I've been posting pics for you on the other thread. I'll put them here too.
A common visitor in my yard.
This is a chrysalis I found on my water hose reel.
This is it 2 weeks later. I just happened to catch it right after it eclosed. Hmmm...this one took it's time, from 11-7 to 11-23.
Wow! Those are great shots, kkb! Good job!
John
Which other thread?
It's "Wings of Fancy" started by linthicim.
I'm not sure where to post...lol...let's keep the Gulf Frit post going here. Flyboy, was your pic taken in your yard? Can you get a pic of the top of it's wings? I've never seen a GF that's dark on top. ??
ps..thanks John!
This message was edited Mar 14, 2005 11:30 AM
konkreteblond
I'll be watching for it. It was a solo. It hung around for awhile, long enough for me to get a camera, then just fluttered away.
I bet it comes back and brings more. You should have Zebra Longwings in your area too. I've never had a ZL actually in my yard, but saw one at someone's house who lives close to me, and got a cat from to raise. It was a white caterpillar with black spikes.
koncreteblond:
I'm still waiting.
Gulf Fritillary butterflies are what started me on my road to raising butterflies…they are SUPER sweet butterflies and caterpillars. My Kindergartners love to hold them and have them crawl on them! If you have a Passiflora plant in your yard you should have these lovely butterflies! Just don't plant any Passifloras with RED blossoms as these are considered poisonous to the caterpillars (the leaves, that is). :( Many of the blues and purples (blossoms) are fairly safe bets (Incarnata, Caerulea, Clevedon, Star of Bristol, Lavender Lady Blue Bouquet—just to name a few) work well to feed the babies. :) The Hummingbirds in my yard love the blossoms as well as do the Carpenter Bees. I must have had fourteen GFs in my yard yesterday as soon as the rain let up. In SoCal a lot of people think these beauties are Monarchs with their brilliant orange and black markings (I have to constantly tell them that no, they are not Monarchs but are called Gulf Fritillary butterflies). :) Their silvery spotted undersides are the key!
Flyboy, you have to do something else while you are waiting. ;) I usually have one that starts visiting early in the year and it's always faithful to return. After a while more and more start showing up, especially after the passionvine starts growing.
I "think" I see a couple new shoots coming from my passion vine!
John
Koncreteblond
I obviously need a passion vine.
You won't regret it.
Does it work?
It does and even if it doesn't the plant is neat. The flower is beautiful and different. Besides, Passiflora incarnata is native over much of the eastern US.
koncreteblond:
Live and learn. Thanks. Even Google backs you up. This is what it says, "The gulf fritillary is especially fond of this plant." Where'd you get all this information and savvy? I saw a new yellow butterfly today, but it wouldn't settle down long enough for me to get a camera.
And imway:
You never believe the things that the passion flower is supposed to cure! Live and klearn!
Brad
Brad, you act like you've doubted me. Had to go google and verify it? ;) lol I am a major research-a-holic myself. (that's the "concrete" part of my personality) I have learned a ton from just reading, googling, surfing and the most from internet friends. These forums are the best place to get first hand info from people. More than likely your yellow butterfly is one of the Sulphur's. I hope your sightings mean they are on their way back to my yard too!
Koncreteblond:
You know that your photo looks like him/her/it.
You don't have to convince me. Now I believe.
Koncreteblond:
I just purchased, and installed, my first passionflower. It's purpleish blue. It's already blooming, so I'm sitting outside and waiting.
Tell me for sure. Do the GF's come at night -- or can I go to bed and start up again tomorrow morning?
Wow, jumped right on this bandwagon, did ya? Yay! It's safe for you to sleep inside. You might see some interesting moths out at night, but not the GF's. I can't promise it will be tomorrow, but "if you plant it, they will come". Just be prepared that when they find it, they EAT it!
EAT IT???????
Are you kidding? Now I have to watch caterpillars? Yeccchhh!
Darn right -- I won't stay out there at night!
Can't I leave something else outside for them?
Yep, the passionvine is the host plant for GF's. They lay their eggs on it and the cats munch away. But you will have many butterflies! Probably even the Zebra Longwings! In the meantime you have this cool vine. My vines are so lame that they have never even bloomed. The butterflies don't care about that tho. If you want to just attract butterflies to feed in your garden, plant some cheap Zinnias.
koncrete~
When do the butterflies start to come around, in earnest?
I can't really give you a time. I would imagine that you would have them in your area before me. I just saw some sort of Swallowtail here the other day, so they are arriving or eclosing. If you are just meaning, when are they going to come to your plant, only time will tell with that. They have to discover it, and I have no idea how they do that, they just do. Every year that I've had my flower beds I have more and more butterflies. The more nectar, the more that come. Try to be patient. Maybe you should wax your car, you know, "wax on, wax off".
koncrete~
OK. But you have to be empathetic. At my stage of life one needs instant gratification. Heck, I don't buy green banana! I'll patiently wait.
(Sorry) tdogmom .. jes wanta be sure to wish you a big ol 'hearty' welcome to DG!!
And, certainly 'preciate the info you've shared with us too !! ... Know you gotta be d'lited
with seeing so many flutterbyes round & bout!
- Magpye