First.... CoreleDawg, There are NO DUMB QUESTIONS. Please don't ever hesitate to ask. Many of us are new to this wonderful addiction. We've all wondered the same thing. If we haven't, we SHOULD have! HAHAHAHA
I wish I could give you a definitive answer about which herbs are for hosting, but I have no idea (at this very moment). There was a list in one of the threads. I'll see if I can find it and post it, or send you a Dmail. Of the top of my head, I remember fennel, parsley, rue, and dill.
I do use some of those for cooking and plan on having the culinary set close to the house for my own use. I'll have the rest out there where they are needed.
Debnes, You, my friend, are an ENABLER! I had a few hours to kill before Connie and I could work on some copper sculptures. Connie was busy tinting a vehicle. Sooooooo, I made a trip over to the Shell Plant Farm. I pulled up. Got out of my truck. Started walking towards the nursery and felt a few sprinkles. So I walked back to the truck and got my umbrella. Several ladies were standing under a greenhouse. I asked them where the herbs were. They pointed me in the right direction towards the greenhouse and pretty much left me alone to ponder the herbs.
Oh boy! oh Boy! They had all kinds of herbs. I found the fennel and the curly parsley right off. They also had some thyme. I got a nice size pot of citronella also. I didn't see anything else that I just had to have, so I headed to where the ladies were.
They admired my umbrella - it has waybigo sunflowers on it with nice wooden handle and pokey out thing at the bottom. I asked them if they had any milkweed for butterflies. One of them looked at me and said, your friend called here a little while ago. It took me a few seconds of thinking, My Friend? Hmmmm Ohhhhhhhhhhhh From Fort Worth??? I ask. Yes. Cool. Then you must know that we are butterfly folks. I told them about my aim for a butterfly garden and also told them about my cage. I found some seeds for cilantro (for Connie) and also for lavender. I hope lavender is a BF plant. If not, I'll enjoy the aroma of it and use it also in making soaps. I ended up spending about $20. The herbs weren't much more than the herbs that I'd bought at Wally World and Home Depot and they were in much better condition. Maybe I've not given them a fair shake on plants in the past. I'm sure I'll be scoping out their plants in the future.
BTW, They said that I could bring a photo of the cage and they'd let me know if anyone was interested in buying one. (wriggling eyebrows here) Their clientele is very high faluting. oh yeah!!! I'm thinking Grandmas!!! I do believe I've gone bezerk with this butterfly thing.
The good thing is.... yesterday I went to Home Depot and bought a charger and a really cool quick disconnect for the Ryobi circular saw and drill that my brother in law brought by here for me the other day.
When Connie and I made the cage, we used her drill and drilled a hole before screwing EACH screw into place, so as not to split the cedar. We did every single one, one at a time. That meant changing from drill bit to screw-bit about 50 times or more. Now we have TWO drills! YEAH!!!!! I haven't used the saw yet. But it felt comfortable in my hand and I don't think I'd be afraid of it like I would with a corded one. It was very lightweight and perfect for cedar.
OK I've written a book here without meaning to. Let's see what else I need to reply to...
Karen, thanks for posting the photos of the IO cat and the moth. I went out this morning and looked and didn't see anything. I've been stung by one of those buggers before (without knowing what it was) and shook it as far away from me as I possibly could. If I remember right, I found it on a hibiscus that time. I will know now to get him into the cage. He's beautiful! I can't say that I ever remember seeing one of the moths here before.
Janet
PART 2 BF Host Plant Seed Trade DISCUSSION
Yes Janet, the Io is supposed to like hibiscus too, but didn't like my native hibiscus (turks cap). Karen
Turk's Cap is a hibiscus????
I had no idea!
Connie and I did a residential tint job at a lady's house that had them all around her yard. We did our best to dig up a few of them (with permission, of course). They were leggy and the roots were really hard to find. I brought them home and they wilted immediately. I've cut them back bigtime. I hope they come back. I'm sure we could go back and get more if there is a better way to propigate them. Connie's known her for many years.
I love those little red flowers. She had them all around the perimeter of her yard. Looked like little explosions of red. So beautiful! Saw a few hummers in her yard also.
Great Janet,
Ok it's all my fault...lol. Glad you re-found a local place to find your herbs. Beaumont is such a small town. When I want something I first say, "where am I going to get it?" I usually don't spend a lot of time coveting anything...I either get it or go on to something I can get.
So now ya have some good Host plants for Black Swallowtails, so far they are my favorite one.. I found a new one on my Rue today too! Yaay!
It's only an inch long now...must have been hiding in that Rue pretty well to get that big without me seeing it.
Hibiscus is the Host for Hairstreak BF y'all..:o)
:o)
I looked, but didn't see any rue at Shell. I'll keep watching wherever I go for it.
I got all of the plants potted up tonight. (A record for me, doing it same day as purchase!) Even got the seeds for the cilantro and the lavender planted in those little herb containers that I emptied.
Two days in a row, I've pulled weeds from the area that I want the ponds to go. I've been worried about the black sides showing. We've decided to park them closer to my front windows, rather than in the middle of the front yard. The ground cover "hedge" that's about 18 inches tall will completely cover the sides of the pond from the road view. I can park something behind them. My office is in the front of the house, so I'll be able to see the BF garen from my office. I'm taking the screens off my windows so I can get some good photos from inside the house. I've always hated those screens and we never open the windows to need them. Won't be long, I'll have me a BF garden!!! Yeah!!!
I have seen Hairstreaks in my back yard on the Lantana. I guess I'll need to put a hibiscus or two into the BF Garden too.
Your BST is a handsome devil. I'm surprised he got that big without you spotting him first.
Parsley & Fennel will be just fine for you now, Janet
BST love those alone so much they don't mind if you get it or not, lol They never heard of it, trust me.
I'm actually allergic to Rue. The other 3 cats are on the Parsly and Fennel and they are the biggest I have ever seen though. So now I rather spend time with them than shopping for them, if I can help it. When they all finish eating I will overwinter those herbs. That same Parsley plant comes back every year (gets fed by the scat might make them come back like they do.) That was my little herb bed where I came face to face with the BST's. I will always keep the strong plants right where they are with the 12 other non-host herbs.
o/~Thanks to all you up north who raised these Monarchs and fed them so well. Hats off to y'all!! These guys are huge, and more than ever! Next year will be first year to host them here, but always appreciated what goes into keeping them on this planet. The more I learned from taking pictures, the more I wanted to plant what they eat. Time for me to add more kinds, and I am going to be very picky, lol. There's always going to be many that will have to find their host plants where God provides them.
~
hello Unique Treasures
I have the turks cap and it will root real easy, I to one limb off and made several cutting thinking some wouldn't make it :) they all rooted with little care
Jesse
Great Jesse I love all kinds of Hibiscus..I had so much of it this year that I didn't see the actual larvae of Hairstreaks, but I did see quite a few of the BFs. They are so small and I had 6 shrubs of 2 different kinds. Some things I have hosted in my garden I'd rather appreciate in the wild as they are, instead of having any direct contact other than taking pictures of them.
o/~
Deb
Does anyone know what eats the leaves of the Four O'Clock plants? Some of my plants are really chewed up.
Also, I was inspecting my Milkweed today and found over 40 eggs. That female Monarch that had been hanging around my yard for days laid a ton of eggs. I tried to get as many of the cats as possible before the wasps got them. Almost all the of the plants had leaves that were chewed. I have found about 25 cats so far. I think the wasps probably got over 40 of the ones I couldn't find. Isn't that sad?
Anyway, hopefully all my cats will make it and can release more butterflies to grace the gardens locally!
becky what do you do with the cats once you get them and isn't there something you can do about the wasps, what they do eat them?
Childofgrace - Yes, the wasps eat them. They actually carry them back to their nests to feed their young. It's horrible but a fact of nature. My yard is currently over-run with wasps. I don't want to spray with pesticides unless I have to because the poison can also kill the cats and butterflies and other good creatures. I usually try to squish the wasps with my flip-flops. But that is rare to actually kill one. They are fast flyers!
I raise (in a cage) and release the Monarch cats after they become butterflies. That way more Monarchs make it to the Butterfly stage. From there I usually get one or two females who return to my yard and lay the next generation of Monarch eggs! It's a continuous cycle in my zone here in zone 9B in Florida! But it requires diligence on my behalf to find the babies and cage and care for them. But I thoroughly enjoy it! I've released over 200 Monarch Butterflies since I started 2 years ago!
I forgot to ask but I was real late getting all this started and I have collected a few seeds, should I wait till early spring to plant them or maybe plant themin a small planter to where I can keep them indoors??
Hi Jesse,
I'd planned on keeping mine in smaller pots to give them a head start in the wintering shed. But the more I think about it, the more I think it would be wiser to go ahead and get my plants into the ground (or pond, in my case) so that they are already well established. Here in Beaumont, as you know we only get a few really cold days. I'm sure it's about the same for Dayton.
Thanks for your input on the Turk's Caps. I hope mine survives. I've been so busy with the caterpillars, etc. that I haven't looked in that pot for a while. We've needed the rain that we've gotten this past week, but enough's enough. My backyard had standing water since it wasn't dry from Sunday and Monday's torrential rains. I don't mind God watering my plants. It's the wind that worries me.
Janet
seeking wisdom here,again! question1-I have got to redo some things in this small spot which means I got to replant some of the plants should I wait till spring or can go ahead and do it now? When is to late to put seeds in the ground NOW? LOL
Thanks
Jesse
Hi, everyone!
Just wanted to check in and let you know I haven't forgotten you! I've been busy with visitors, going out of town myself, computer glitches and putting to bed the garden among other things.
I know I owe a couple DGers seeds (Thanks so much for sending your nice envelopes of seeds to me!) and I will get them out to you. Just waiting for my milkweed pods to dry out a little more and to see what seeds I can harvest from the garden that might be nice to include, too.
Also, for some reason I see my D-mail is out of order today, too. Is anyone else's?
It is very cold here today, but I am putting in a few spring bulbs (not host plants) and some more violets (for the fritillaries, I think). I went on a hike in the woods yesterday and think I found some Paw Paws, too.
FYI for anyone interested in the Paw Paw propagation (a host plant for the Zebra Swallowtail) here is a site with good info http://www.pawpaw.kysu.edu/pawpaw/ppg.htm#Pests I do not quite understand the recommended method of propagation (using cloning, etc.) but maybe someone else out there does...
http://www.pawpaw.kysu.edu/pawpaw/ppg.htm#Pests
So, long and short of it is, am a little preoccupied but I haven't forgotten the thread/trading! Will be in touch soon. t.
This is my new lasagna bed extension for the butterfly garden--planted milkweeds, buddleia, liatris, coneflowers, rudbeckia, sedums, pipevine, and I can't think of what else in there. Hope it grows!
I think we all hit a slow time Judy~
I have been building a little greenhouse out back for a few things, and pulling in the BST Caterpillars from the cold...Suppose they might have made it without my help? I don't know, but I was concerned about the hungry birds in the bushes nearby. I show a bit more about that in a sepparate thread. http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/663901/.
Also been potting a few things, and taking cuttings of others.. etc..
For the most part I will be around if anyone needs anything, be sure to Dmail me.
Pic: 2 BST Cats eating Fennel and Parsley
that's a pretty big bed. you should be feeding lots of cats next year, t. I'm going to look at what I can wintersow from the seeds I've gotten. I've never tried it before.
cool, pic Deb. is that rue in there, too?
To anyone who requested milkweed cuttings from me....I still have them but have had NO time to get seeds or these out. I will try very hard to get them out this week IF they are still good and haven't all rooted together in the cups. If I can't use these, I'll just root more as soon as I get a break. They are easy and no problem at all. Just wanted to let you know I haven't totally forgotten!
Thank you Paige,
If you need any help getting them out call me, and if Sheila can come too we can see to them finding good homes. Just a thought:o). LMK
Thanks Debnes, but I'll eventually get around to it. It's not like they are homeless anyways, they can always go right back in my beds . :)
They sure can Paige! I know how it is though...packing them, and the cost etc. Remember us, Sheila and I are close enough to come help of ya ever need it.
Deb
Yep, if I drove all the way to Dallas to help Sylvia dig & pot plants, I can help a friend 10 min away! But I don't have little ones to worry about.
Finally got some tiny envelopes, mailing envelopes, my seed box out, and some of my MW pods dry, so I have gotten together my trade mailings and notice I have a few more Host Plant Seeds to send to anyone who is interested in getting their BF garden going ....I don't really need/want any seeds right now in return,
I put several cuttings in water and I am watching to see what happens. (I have never started from cuttings before.) If they work, I should have some interesting vines to share later on. Always something new to try/learn on DG!
I am so disorganized -- thanks everyone for being patient with me!
Hope your trades are going well!
Tabasco, I'll be more than happy to send sasbe if I could have the host plant seeds. I've got an area designated for butterflies and hummers that I want to improve on for next year. Just started gardening this year so I've been begging right regular here lately.
Deborah I'm in the addy, jlmk
Sorry Gram,
Yes that was a sprig of Rue I cut off that the wee cat was on outside.. I rather not touch them, (we have germs they can't handle_~I think even with washed hands).
My brain has been floating with a yukky cold the last few days, but I did manage to get some things in a little website my neice set up for me to share stuff in. Gram remember the one with the hummer video etc.?
To everyone~ The first 5 or so pages of 100 Wallpapers are about my limited experience hosting BFs.
Tobasco (Judy) kindly shared some of her great pics for me to use too. The pictures are all royalty free, absolutly free. My benifit is promoting sustenance of butterflies to whoever happens upon the site.
If anyone is interrested the url is : http://theletteroflove.com (must be opened in Internet Explorer to see the Hummer video bc it is 'windows media player'..the vid is at the bottom of the home page.
For the Hosting BFs Journal & Wallpapers just click on "Free Wallpaper" or click this url to go straight to them> http://theletteroflove.com/wallpaper < These can be opened with any browser.
Also if anyone would like to share pictures I will make sure they are signed and credited.. Some of you have great pictures that I haven't been able to take on my own yet.
Dmail or Email me at debnes@sbcglobal.net
Thanks, You guys have really inspired me!!
This message was edited Oct 27, 2006 7:12 PM
Judy, I would love to have a couple host plant seeds, if you are planning on having extra. You have really started something with me.
Kay~
Which host plant are you interrested in getting seeds for?
I hadn't looked at your site lately Deb. thanks for the reminder. you've done a great job with it! wish I had some pics to share. maybe next year when I have more plants and the b'flies will stay put for more than 3 secs LOL
gram
Yes, be sure to check on deb's blog site. It's really full of good and interesting information about BFs! Thanks for creating it!
I'm happy a few of you want some seeds--d-mail me your address today and thanks for the offer for postage, but don't need it this time--just want to get the seeds to those who can use them.
I will continue to sort through my seed box and send out 'Silky Red' Milkweed, holly hock, aristolachia (pipevine), sunflowers, dill, fennel, and whatever else I won't be using this winter for witnersowing. (My garden is getting 'full up' and I can't be as 'gung ho' for wintersowing as in other years.)
BTW About Paw Paw: I found a nursery, "Earthscapes" http://www.earthscapesinc.com/categories/signature-plants.htm , here in the area that specializes in growing Paw Paw triloba trees and has some nice sized ones for sale. I understand they are difficult to transplant because of the deep tap roots.... They also have spice bush and sassafrass I think. Next spring I may go get some to experiment with them (and see if I can get some cuttings going).
Also, someone told me that there is a 'pipevine' plant that grows in lawns as a weed that the swallowtails use for a host plant. Quite different from the other more familiar 'pipevines'. Does anyone know anything about that? Just wondering....(maybe I don't have to give garden space to a pipevine if I already have it!?!)
Is Bronze Fennel a host plant? I have seeds but I don't know if it's a good plant for BF or not.
Deborah
T, I've read that all native species of the pipevine are used as well as the cutivated species, but if eggs are on the cultivar A. elegans, Calico Flower, the young cats will die on it. In the last instar the cats can survive on it. I just started some A. elegans this fall so I don't have any experience with this. Has anyone heard of this?
Thank you for finding that source info Judy! I would love to try and grow a Paw Paw.
All I have in the way of PV is the 2 small elegant dutchman's pipevine plants...they are recovering somewhat from being in someones plant stock, a bit neglected.. I repotted them into a 2 gallon pot and put it in my bathroom windowbox. Hopefully by next Spring they will be strong enough to share some.
I saw this Pipevine Swallowtail on my Vitex nectaring it's blooms...it looks very similar to the BSW ~ (I actually thought it was a BST), but upon closer observation saw the differences. The Cats look a whole lot different from BST too, having black bodies with orange spikes. These PVST are so benifical to other BFs.. Similar to how the Viceroy is benifical to the Monarch, bc it looks similar and is poisonous.
PVSTs do have other PV host plants like you say Judy... some might be growing wild in our own yards. (Wouldn't that be cool?) Their host plants are always a type vine, and always poisonous to humans/animals and all of their other predators.)
"Pipevine swallowtail caterpillars begin their lives by feeding in small groups on poisonous plants, such as Virginia snakeroot and Dutchman's pipe." < quote from : http://www.mic-d.com/gallery/butterfly/pipevineswallowtaild1.html
Folks! we have all winter to learn about this stuff, and I am glad about that. It will take me all winter just to begin activly hosting many of these BFs I have only seen nectaring in my garden.
Thank you Gram~ Actually I'm in the same boat as you on the new ones!
I'm really excited about what we will have next year too!
Yes Deborah, Bronze Fennel is host plant for Black Swallowtail.. 2 of the Chrisalides I have now were laid and hatched eating BFennel.
:oD
Very beautiful butterfly Deb! Is it really that blue on the bottom wings?
Great news! I have seen plenty of Black Swallowtail in my gardens and can't seem to plant enough parsley. They eat it all up. I'm gald to hear they'll live on Bronze Fennel. I'll be sure to winter sow some. Thank you Deb
Deborah
Thx Becky~ That's how blue it is, yep! Very vivid in the sunlight. Amazing to me also how the top and under sides of the wings differ on many of the BFs. The surfaces catch the light and make the colors show... Some BFs like the Blue Morpho is actually plain and sortof brown looking until you see it in the light.
:oDeb
Here is a little exerpt from Creation Moments titled "Masters of Light" which I believe applies to the colors of Butterflies pretty well:
"Over hundreds of years science has learned a lot about manipulating light. And while lasers and liquid crystals might seem pretty sophisticated, some of God’s creatures show us how much more there is to learn.
The Morpho butterfly is one of the brightest butterflies in nature but looked at closely in artificial light it appears dull gray-brown. However, in the sunlight its color changes to a bright blue. It can do this because the scales on its wings form a type of diffraction grating called a photonic band gap. This diffraction grating is formed by a precise spacing of the scales so that they are similar to the wavelength of sun light. When white light hits the grating, it breaks down into its various colors. The red light waves cancel each other out and all the other colors are scattered, except the blue. As a result, the blue color never fades, and it is so intense that it can be seen up to half a mile away. Scientists comment that we do not yet know how to make an optical structure this complex.
The Morpho butterfly, with all its precise engineering, is a testimony to the skill and love of beauty of our Creator."
Thanks, deb, for that excellent Olympus article about the Pipevine ST and for posting the pretty pic.
I looked up the pipevine swallowtail host plant, Virginia Snakeroot, and here's a link to some seeds. They seem to be quite expensive for 15 seeds! http://www.horizonherbs.com/product.asp?specific=jpjqeqp8
I think Rod A. on the GW forum also has seeds for sale. Here is a link with more info on pipevines/swallowtails/culture: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/butterfly/msg0720320430590.html?24
In any case, it's good to know about this plant (which is quite common in many eastern dry-ish woodlands and quite endangered in others) and I will watch for it when out walking around here. Maybe we can begin to cultivate some. This particular aristolachia grows to just 18 inches tall.
Deb - Great excerpt from Masters of Light. That's amazing, isn't it? Of course, with God everything is possible!
tabsco - Thanks for posting the info about the pipevine swallowtail host plant - Virginia Snakeroot. Might be another "must have" to pick up for the butterfly gardens grown here by everyone.
I was working in the yard today. It rained hard this morning. We needed it, so I am glad. Then the weather turned sunny and a little cooler. Perfect day for gardening!! :-)
There were so many butterflies in my front garden today that even the mailwoman made a comment about it. She brought a package to the door and was more interested in the garden than delivering the mail. My husband thinks she does the trips to the door so she can look at my garden. But our mailbox can't hold packages, so she has to bring them to the door! My husband thinks that women are obsessed with gardens! LOL!
The past couple weeks I have been noticing a couple of Monarchs in my garden. Females to be exact. They chase each other trying to claim their territory but neither gives up. Well, the older one must have died, because I stopped seeing her the middle of the week. The younger one has been laying eggs and guarding her areas. Well, today.... along comes another younger female and the chasing began. Again neither is leaving. It almost seems as if one replaces the other before she dies, so that there is always a Monarch in my garden. I've never seen this happen before. For some reason God has chosen to grace my backyard with Monarchs in succession. They always fly near me. I wonder if it is because the birds won't come near me when I am out in the yard. Maybe they feel safe from birds and other predators when humans are about?
My snake friend and I kept running into each other today as well. The weather was just a day to be out in the yard! And Mr. Snake thought so, too! lol Absolutely gorgeous day!