Fruit Feasters

Here's a Red Admiral looking for butterfly bait on the log this morning. Guess I have to go out and brush a little on to keep it coming back.

For those who are curious...I use a Panasonic Lumix FZ30. It helps when the butterflies cooperate and you can get close. Am thinking the local butterflies are so used to people walking around the parks taking photos they don't scare easily. However, when we get those rare strays like the Crackers...those flit away when you step on a twig twenty feet away!!! Have learned to let them enjoy the bait...then sneak up on them when they're feeling too good to fly!!!


Magpye...Howdy!!! Yes, thank you...I saw many of the bug files you created so have been adding photos to those that didn't have any images. Haven't added the Harlequin Beetle...hadn't even considered that as it's fairly common...guess I'll do that later today.

Love that terminology...Inebriation Station, Scat Cats and Feces Species!!! Too funny!!! I have some of those yellow metal signs that say Butterfly Crossing, Hummingbird Crossing and Mosquito Crossing in my yard...am thinking I need to make my own saying "Inebriation Station" and build a butterfly house and paint it up with a label saying AABF!!! Ya'll are so witty!!!

Glad ya'll like that three some photo...had no idea katydids would hop up there to eat citrus. I'd set out fruit and butterfly bait the back field which was about a mile away from the ranch house...I'd put it way out there because I'd seen a Malachite last weekend...which I'd never seen before there...so was hoping it was in the same area this weekend and would show up. I drove back there after lunch but never saw it...but whoaaaa...every other bug showed up. There were gobs and gobs of bees and wasps, tortoise beetles and the usual butterflies. Seem the poor critters living out there were starving for something sweet and juicy. There are no 'home grown' nectar plants out there...just native weeds and brush. The native waltheria was just about over the bloom season so their main nectar source had dwindled.

I plan to drive back to the ranch this coming weekend...so will gather up all the fallen tangerines, oranges and grapefruits from my backyard and slice them up for the butterflies back at the ranch :o)

I took a video of a tortoise (anacua) beetle as it climbed up the fence post. It moved quite fast and easily climbed over the barbed wire that was wrapped around the post. When it got close to the top there were gobs of wasps feeding and you can see one wasp literally push the beetle away with it's back leg. It was funny to watch. The beetle just scooted over and pushed itself under the wasps to reach the top. Once it got there it quickly climbed to the top of the orange slice and stood there like Rin Tin Tin!!! I'm still on dial up and the video was a big file...so there was no way to upload it...I deleted it yesterday when I was cleaning up my files. Now that I think of it...I should have kept it...grrrr!!!

~ Cat

oops...maybe I've been partaking of the butterfly bait...forgot to add the Red Admiral photo!!!

You can see where I've cut out part of the bark and cut grooves into the log. The bark holds the bait quite well...but I sort of cut out a shallow indentation so the bait wouldn't run off.

TPP - What a great idea! I'm definitely going to try that in the Spring! Seems to attract lots of critters! Thanks for posting the photo since I'm a visual person and couldn't quite figure out how the bait was staying on the branch. lol

BTW - Ya'll are very clever with the names..... loved the "Inebriation Station" name! Too funny! That would be a great sign in the yard! Sure to get a few chuckles. I might use that too when I start adding deco to my yard. I hope ya don't mind us stealing your creative names, Magpye! You're good with the catchy phrases!!!

ps...not sure if I can say the name of the company I bought the decals from...but it was Bullseyearchery. They are also on ebay. You can look up that seller and do a search for butterfly decals under the store list. Am very pleased with the quality of the decals and they are made for vehicle windows and should not peel, fade or crack. They are very realistic and they have other butterflies like White Admirals, Monarchs, Tortoise Shells, Southern Dogfaces, Regal Frits, Red Admirals, Morning Cloaks, Eastern Swallowtails, Black Swallowtails, Anise Swallowtails and something labeled as a Eastern Swallowtail but looks like a Tiger Swallowtail.

They also make magnets :o) and have a their items on nature's gifts.

http://www.natures-gifts.biz/butterflies.php

I can't wait to try this. In spring we get yellow butterflies that migrate thru here, but they never stop in my yard...maybe this year they will.
Thanks for the bait idea...I'm off to the store now to buy all the stuff.

Okay, I got all the stuff. But do I mash the bananas or put them in whole ?

You can mash them up or toss them into the blender whole. They will get blended anyway. Oh...and add the beer little by little. You will probably have to split up the bananas and brown sugar and pour in a few ounces of beer at a time and make several smaller batches instead of one big one. The beer will froth up :o) Pour each batch into a plastic jug or bucket and when you're done just give a mix or two then just let them ferment throughout the month or year.

Remember to vent the jug every now and then. I often unscrew the cap to let the fermenting gas escape. I also squeeze the jug a bit and then put the cap back on. It will expand back out into shape...even bulge as the fermenting process continues. You can put the jug out on your backporch or under a tree outside if you are afraid you'll forget to vent the cap.

Hope everyone that tries the butterfly bait will share photos of the butterflies it attracts. Butterflies from the brushfoot family are the ones that seek it out. You won't get monarchs or sulphurs etc. on it.

Mine is out there on a log, now it's wait and see............. Any, of course I'll share pics! Here's a pic of a butterfly I saw a couple of days ago. It's only about a 1/2 inch big.

I get those little butterflies here, too! They are so teeny! Very nice shot of it! :-)

Yeah betterbloom,
I was trying to make that one out, is it a Copper or a Satyr of some kind? It looks kinda bluish. when the light catches it..

Cat, Anybody?
Have any idea what potential this lil house has? I got it from my Mom the other day.. When ya sortof crack the door on it little critters can go inside. It has 3 shelves inside, and the bottom making 4 compartments. What do y'all think?
Becky, I am slowly adding some 'whimsy' as you suggested..lol.

~o~

Hmmm...that little bitty butterfly looks like a Western Pygmy Blue??? I'm not familiar with coppers so don't know what to look for.

Here's a photo of the topside of a Western Pygmy Blue...they are very tiny...very very tiny!!! You're being generous when you say 1/2" - more like 3/8" inch :o)

As for that cute house...I don't think the butterflies will use it...but it does look good!!! Maybe you can brace the door to stay opened up a little bit more and hang it from a tree or set it on a post? Perhaps they will use it if they deem it provides cover from the weather and predators? Elsewise birds might decide to nest it or worse...spiders and wasps :o) Either way it surely adds charm to your yard!!!

...and a photo of the underside of a Western Pygmy Blue...

Thx Cat, I keep moving it around, lol.. I could modify it and cut 1/2 inch slits down the sides and close the doors on it. I don't know where it will end up..

Maybe I should use it for my birdages in another place on my property, lodged in a tree, or hanging somewhere far from my host beds.

That Pygmy is beautiful... looks a lot like the one betterbloom has. Maybe it will come back and she can get it to smile for the camera.

Yes you are probably right on the size and the name. Thanks. I'm hoping I get some pics tormorrow of more. We really don't get many butterflies, mostly birds. Or maybe the birds are eating them all ?

get a cat...heh heh

Ya'll are too funny!

Deb - I'd put that little house on a stake and stick it right in your butterfly garden for looks! Very cute! You might want to coat it with a clear gloss paint of some sort to protect the paint from peeling or fading. It would look very cute among your flowers when they get taller! Just a bit of whimsy adds to a garden, IMHO!

okay, so the bait hasn't worked yet and they don't come in my garden....I chased this one down in my golf cart.

Nice Red Admiral betterbloom!

They really are suppose to go for the rotted fruit thing.

Thanks, I guess they just dont like this area.

...maybe this one is a wine connoisseur? Heh! Heh! Just kidding...have you tried just regular cut up fruit...stuff like tangerines, oranges or bananas? They really are one of the first ones on the bait and fruit out here...that's if the Tawnys don't beat 'em.

~ Cat

you all are to funny. Cat what great pics and info. Where'd you get those butterfly stickers. I want some!!!!!!

Donna...from Bullseyearchery. They are also on ebay. You can look up that seller and do a search for butterfly decals under the store list. Am very pleased with the quality of the decals and they are made for vehicle windows and should not peel, fade or crack. They are very realistic and they have other butterflies like White Admirals, Monarchs, Tortoise Shells, Southern Dogfaces, Regal Frits, Red Admirals, Morning Cloaks, Eastern Swallowtails, Black Swallowtails, Anise Swallowtails and something labeled as a Eastern Swallowtail but looks like a Tiger Swallowtail.

They also make magnets :o) and have a their items on nature's gifts.

www.natures-gifts.biz

~ Cat

oh no Cat. I am in trouble now. So many things I want from Natures Gifts. I love wind chimes

Me too! I want several things. I wonder how many stickers will fit on my SUV? hmmm... I want to do make that log too!

Cat, can you help ID this little guy for me? Going thru my pics I realize that he wasn't just a little Hairstreak. I wish I had known that at the time. (I remember when I saw it and I had to stop taking pics for something. Darn!)

Is it a Reakirt's Blue?

Wow paige, what a beauty! Yes it is a Reakirt's Blue! Will look up their host...

I was wondering if Mesquite hosted anything worthwhile, evidently it does! Plenty of that around here!

I will be trying some white and red clovers this year to see what happens too, they are Fabaceae.

I just can't plant host food for everything but I do have several new things to start asap. If I can at least attract them to my yard then that makes me happy!

I'm with you on that paige... A lot of the hosts like Mesquite, for example, would suck all the moisture out from the other plants, the tap roots on those are as long as 60 feet.. not for me!! Like you, I rather keep it select what is rich in the garden on my property. I figure they will make their way here to nectar thats enough for me.

I caught this Barred Sulpher passer-by on the TxMist, no telling where it came from..(pic not crystal clear, taken from away off).

I've seen a lot of those in my yard lately too. This must be the season for another brood for them. They are fast fliers! They are very jumpy too and won't let you get anywhere near if possible. I can't seem to catch one sitting but I keep trying.

I actually like the Mesquite trees but not those thorns! I love the foliage on them.

Good going on the Reakirt's Blue. The are supposed to be common down here but I never seem to find one :o(

I know stuff in the fabacea family are supposed to be used but I've never noticed anything using mesquite as a larval host or nectar out here. According to our south Texas caterpillar host list Honey Mesquite is the larval host for Marine Blue and the Long-tailed Skipper. Screwbean Mesquite for Clytie Ministreak and Blue Metalmark. Maybe it's because there are so many Honey Mesquite all over this area that I just don't see butterflies on them or I'm not around the ranch during the brood season???

If anyone is interested...our south Texas NABA website has an excellent larval host and nectaring plant list.

http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabast/gardening.html

Another guest on top of the fence post enjoying the bait.

You DO know that there are TWO 'guests' sitting there, dontcha ? .. (hee)

That turquoise-colored feller there, is apparently one of them TX 'Longhorns' .. LOL

A mitey nice shot!!

- Magpye

You mean I actually saw a butterfly that you don't! lol I'm definitely going to be looking for them more often next year. I was reading tonight that the Frogfruit (that it is on) is a favorite of the Western Pygmy Blue because it has a short probiscus and the Frogfruit has shallow nectaries. Cool! I love my Frogfruit! I see little Hairstreaks (and apparently a Blue) on it all the time.

Paige - "Frogfruit" - Is it considered a weed? I googled for photos of this plant and it looks like weeds I get in my yard and in bog areas in my neighborhood. Is it a bog plant or one that likes wet feet? Also, is a small ground cover type of plant? If so, it appears I have them all over my yard. Though I don't recall seeing any butterflies on them.

Hey, hey, hey...you might have seen a butterfly that I haven't...but it is down here...somewhere...really, it is...yeah, I've read about it...it's okay to believe everything I read, right? It's gotta be here...yes, there's photos on our local NABA site...really...uhhuh...it sure is...hey, how come I never see one?! Hey, what gives?! This just ain't fair!!! Heh heh!!!

Frogfruit is a wonderful ground cover out here. All the butterfly parks have it. You can walk by it and see gobs and gobs of little butterflies nectaring and sunning on it. Hoards of Western Pygmy Blues, crescents, patches, skippers, hairstreaks and even some bigger butterflies.

~ Cat

I never realized all the pretty colors and designs on the Red Admiral's underside. Here's a ventral view. WOW!!!

~ Cat

Actually it's a wildflower! ...that comes up on it's own in the spring. It is a groundcover when it's in unimproved soil and dry but it will grow and spread into a thick plant if you put it in your bed. Mine gets so thick that my son even complained that it was too big! lol I rarely cut it back tho because it blooms constantly and there is always something on it.

I get confused because I see it listed as Frogfruit and Fogfruit. It's Phyla nodiflora, and you would love it! Mine is always covered with little Hairstreaks, tiny little bees or wasp?, and what I think are Hover flies.

I originally bought it because it was supposed to be a host for the Buckeye, but I've not had any cats. I have raised a few tiny Phaon Crescents from some I got growing wild a few years ago.

This is it around the bottom of the picture. It's about a foot high and spreads by runners that are simple to pull up. When it gets too thick I just pull it up and give it a haircut and it bounces right back.

Is this the 'frog fruit' specieS that you guys are referring to? > http://www.noble.org/imagegallery/Forbhtml/TexasFrogfruit.html

And another, in Arizona > http://ag.arizona.edu/pima/gardening/aridplants/Lippia_nodiflora.html

And this site > http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabasa/Frogfruit.html .. is gonna have me outside at the first of Spring, checking to see if *we* could be so doggone 'lucky' .. (but won't be holdin' my breath) .. heehee

((huggs))

- Magpye

Great pic Cat! I don't think I've noticed that either because the RA is very happy to sit with it's wings wide open.


Yes, that's it Magpye. I'll go out tomorrow and pull up some of it and start rooting it. All I did last time to root it was throw it totally under the water in my fountain! lol

Becky, it thrives with or without water!

This message was edited Nov 25, 2006 11:46 PM

Thanks ya'll. I do believe Frogfruit is what is all over my yard in clumps. I used to have bahia grass, but after 15 years of NOT fertilizing and weeding, I have more Florida "native" grass than bahia. lol Which is one of the reasons I would rather do lasagna beds around most of my yard. lol I probably have many weeds that are nectar or host plants for the itty bitty butterflies. I'm going to have to start looking closer at these plants.

I will say one thing in defense of "weeds". My neighbors have beautiful manicured lawns. St. Augustine grass, mainly. In summer they always get cinch bugs that make ugly brown patches in their yards. My yard, on the other hand, always looks green and lush! lol My son mows every week thoughout the summer, so the "weeds" don't get large or show their true form. When you look closely at my yard, it's patches of all kinds of weeds that blend together! lol I'm the only one on my street that has lots of bees and butterflies. And my anole population has exploded! The neighbors get a kick out of walking through my yard and seeing all the creatures!

Sounds like a great yard to me.. My back has lots of different things growing around in it. I am going to see what the clover does in the way of filling in and balancing some of them.. Then I want to cut out some areas and make more beds in Spring. I will really need them by then with the way I keep adding things.. Oh and all the seeds, whew! Where to put it, is my biggest delima.

Here is a picture of Frogfruit I took at paige's house. I need to get some more in Spring.