My pipevine caterpillars finally showed up. I found them this morning.....11 of them, almost big enough to pupate, happily munching on my aristolochia fimbriata vine. I went to check them this afternoon and they were all dead.
The only thing I can imagine might have happened to them is that I sprayed Avid on my brugmansias located near them this morning. If they got some of the drift would it have killed them? Avid is Abamectin.
Any ideas? The temp today was 92, and it was extremely humid. That shouldn't matter, huh?
Kay
I feel so awful!
Kay, I can't answer your questions, but I'm sorry for how you found your caterpillars. Honestly, tho, it wasn't your fault. These things happen, and it sounds like something I'd do...and then cry about. I won't admit 1/2 the stuff I've done, so don't feel bad....or at least know there's someone out there worse than you! I have a bad habit of not reading directions, and I'm not even male. (ok, I know I'll pay for that remark)
maybe some made it that you didn't see or just haven't found yet.
I hope you find something tomorrow that brings you joy and a smile :)
Heather
Heather, thanks for you kind thoughts. My life has been so blessed that I always have plenty to smile about. I just hope that I was not the cause of these poor little creatures dying. I planted the aristalochias just for them to eat.
Maybe another day I'll have better luck.
Kay
While this could be due to overspray, my concern is which pipevine it is that you planted. There are several species of pipevine, of course, and the number one thing I've learned is if you provide the wrong food, your caterpillars can be underweight, malnourished, or simply die. Even moving a black swallowtail from fennel to parsley can do this.
So far, the information I'm finding is that three plants provide good food for the pipevine swallowtails: Aristolochia littoralis or Calico flower, Virginia snakeroot (A. serpentaria), and Aristolochia tomentosa or Wooly pipevine. I can't find any evidence that yours is appropriate larval food.
Sorry. I'll keep looking but I think you've got a non-native pipevine which accidentally poisoned your caterpillars. If it makes you feel any better, I have about four passionflower vines for the gulf fritillaries. One of them nobody will eat because it's a non-native...
I know you'll feel bad reading this, but at least now you're armed with the knowledge and you can go out there and get the right pipevine!
Well, I'll be darned! I've got a bunch of passion vines, and the only ones my gulf frits eat are the native one, Incense, and Lady Margaret. They leave the others alone.
Maybe pipevine cats aren't as smart as the gulf frits are. I have littoralis, but they didn't get on it.
I now have mixed feelings. I can control my own spraying, but how can I control which plants the cats get on? What to do, oh what to do?
Thanks for your input.
Kay
I have just done a little Googling and found out that the fimbriata is, indeed, appropriate food for the pipevine cats.
Dogzilla, you are apparently quite correct that the tropical pipevines will cause them to die. I have gigantica and elegans, also, but so far, no cats on them. I'm thinking it must have been the spray, although I did not spray them directly, some of the mist could have gotten on them This insecticide is supposedly for mites only, but those cats looked absolutely healthy yesterday morning. They had gotten pretty big before I found them. Thanks for your thoughts. I might need to see what I can do to avoid the cats eating the other two that are bad for them.
Kay
Trade them at a roundup to someone who isn't trying to feed cats?
After more Googling, I found this tidbit:
Host Plants for Polydamas Swallowtail:
Aristolochia elegans
Aristolochia gigantea
So.......I think they are here to stay. And such wonderfu bazarre flowers!
Kay
Kay, would you mind posting the link that led you to conclude that A. fimbriata is a good larval food? I couldn't find anything in that regard.
Thanks.
Here tiz:
http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/butterfly/2004041551026161.html
Very interesting!
Kay
Cool! Thanks!
Gaylams, you went to the right source. I posted this info last year. It might be a good idea to do it again. Before I was sent to Disneyland (for mentioning Yahoo) I learned 90% of what I know from the GW butterfly gardeners. You can trust their lists and their FAQ's!!
Thanks for letting me know. I was not sure about it.
Kay