found some eggs today. hmmm sure need a macro lense
Gulf Fritillary life cycle
baby cat
mature cat
pupa
adult
another view
will that poke you? the horns?
ely
lol Larry I am not going to find out. Some cats sting like fire when you touch them
These ones don't sting. If you stand really close, you can hear them chewing your passionflower leaves! These are fast becoming my favorite cats/flutterbys.
Nice shots Donna!
Great series Donna! Thanks so much for capturing it all and sharing with us :-)
I wish you had a macro too, Donna. B/c you sure seem to know what you're doing when it comes to butterflies and cameras! ;-)
donna--really great series. thanks for posting. t.
Those are great Donna! especially not having macro! I was out taking pics of one the other day too. It's the first year this cutting has grown into a real vine and blooming, but it won't last long now. I'll go out tomorrow and see if I can get a macro shot of an egg. It's so hard tho!
Donna, Great shots!
I just started yesterday with Pipevine eggs. I usually follow them pretty close until the pupa stage. They always hide where I can't find them.
They leave the vine, anyone have an idea where they might go? Thanks for sharing your pictures.
Betty
Betty I can never find them once they take off to pupate. I got some little insect cages at Big Lots and Wal-Mart I put the cats in once they get big and just put their food in there until they pupate
Donna, do you get those little bug huts from Big Lots that fold open and have a zipper door? They are great! The only thing I don't like about them is that you can't see well inside (and can't take pics) and I've caught one of the cats in the zipper before! :(
no these are little screen/plastic cages with a door. Will take pics and post later. Trying new macro lenses that came in today right now lol. Found a great deal on e-bay. 1+, 2+, 4+, and 10+ new with case for 33 dollars. Figured I would buy cheap to see how they work and which plus power lense I needed most then buy a good one in the exact power
I've not seen those cages. What a good excuse to go to Big Lots. :) I went out and could not find any eggs. The other day when I saw my GF laying eggs, I saw an ant carrying something yellow. The passionvine has lots of ants, and now I'm thinking they carry the eggs off! I tried to get the ant and ended up knocking him and the yellow thing on the ground, so I never knew if it was an egg or an aphid, although the vine has no aphids. Then today I can't find any eggs OR cats, so I'm thinking these ants are up to no good after all. Except that I think they pollinate my flowers and they sure are pretty.
the little cages. I got 2 in spring at Big Lots and just got some at Wal-Mart. They were on the isle with the pool supply stuff at our store. Don't ask me why
Oh, I know what those are! I bought my son one a few years ago. We've used it for several things, but I recently had to toss it out when something gross was in it and died. (cocoon of sphinx moth that was parasitized, then ants got on the yucky things..eeewww!!) Anyways...I have these little bug huts from BL. Let me find a pic...here is one that you can see pretty good. They are only $3 and well worth it!
oh really cool but a shame they didn't make them where you could see through it.
I keep mine hanging up in the rafters of the porch so nothing can get them
I saw some yellow things on my Milkweed and thought the Monarch had laid eggs. I grabbed the camera but the eggs started to crawl. My eggs were aphids. There are ants on there too. I can't spray since I know at least one Monarch is in the garden.
lol picabo
They are great, and you can see thru them, just not to take pictures.
Picabo, aphids weren't near as exciting, were they? lol My milkweed has been so covered in aphids! I have done everything I could think of to get rid of them without leaving a residual poison on the plants. I have sprayed with numerous concoctions, bought ladybugs (no, I don't see ANY!) sprayed them off with water twice a day, then I finally gave in and sprayed them with insecticidal soap. I knew it was chancy but I haven't had any female Monarchs around and have got to keep my plants alive. I went back the next day and sprayed off the plants again. All it ended up doing was killling one batch but MORE came. WHERE are they coming from?! Sorry...don't want to hijack the thread with my ranting. I'll need my own thread for that! lol
...and don't forget acrobatic mama gulf frit on her egg laying mission :o)
~ Cat
They are funny. They are rather spastic fliers anyway.
We await your return Donna! (She lost her home but, is safe!) :-)
Her home was totally lost? :( I thought I read that somewhere when I was briefly skimming thru the other day. I have no idea where and never could find the post again. I'm so behind from being glued to the tv for days. I can't concentrate on chatting during all of this. I have a lot of friends and people I've met down there and they are all suffering. I'm so frustrated that I can't help.
Sorry....what was this thread about? Oh yeah, GF's...I had some inside earlier this week but put them out after they started to get a little bigger. I took a pic of one just after it went into it's 3rd instar and it's spines were still light. They turn black later.
Here. http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/541335/
Go down to MS or do a 'find' for donnab (case doesn't matter)
DonnaB will be coming over here tomorrow to get some supplies and to pick up the gifts that some of the members here at DG sent to me since she has no mail service. I will ask her to post on her thread in the link that I provided below.
[HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com] Listed are the members that need assistance. Please update your preference page to add this forum.
Thanks!!
Trish/MzMunchken
DonnaB's hbuddy