Just an fyi, but if you are going to send a chrysalis to someone you might not want to post it. I don't know that it's "illegal" but I think that there are some rules about sending cats and butterflies to different states. I don't know that any of DG's posts can be found when Googling (like other forums) but... I know it's done but think maybe a little hush-hush. Feel free to educate me if I'm incorrect.
Another cat to ID ....
I don't know how true that is because my class has purchased Monarch chrysalis and Painted Lady chyrsalis from out of state companies. I believe that many butterfly-raising companies sell their butterflies across state borders for weddings and other special occassions. Releasing butterflies instead of throwing rice is the new rage! Sounds like a good business idea to me! ;-) The only stipulation is that the butterflies sent must be to a state/region that has nectar plants and host plants for that species of butterfly. They don't want to send butterflies that are going to starve to death after being released. That would not be humane.
I'm practicing just in case.....Becky who? I don't know any Becky!
LOL...I have heard/read things but can't remember the details. And for the life of me, I don't have any idea where to look for info on it. I just know that I've discussed it before on other forums and remembered how silly it was because the butterflies can FLY across state borders if they want to and we can't stop them.
I'm leary about sending plants and seeds out sometimes too. I just can't know what is invasive in every state and even what's illegal. Why can't we just claim ignorance??
...forgot my other thought...I know that there are companies that do that but thought maybe they had to get some sort of permit. ??
This message was edited Jan 8, 2007 9:24 PM
The USpost office knew full well what was inside the box, and they were very helpful. If there were channels set up, they would have told me, and I would have followed them. It was necessary for me to get a small lot seed permit to receive seeds and other live materials from Canada, so now I have one. It's good for 3 years. There are no restrictions on sending butterfly chrysalids from state to state in the US. Teachers order them by mail all the time for classroom projects. Pupae are available online from all over the world.. No permit required. Legal. :-)
Roxanne, my son Kirby got that the same day mark posted it.. he came in and asked, "What's an original number?" haha.. Once we got that straight he explained how the Mystic thingy worked. He can cyper up a storm, that boy!
Thank you Becky, I know you'll take the best care of them...:-) Im still anxious as all get out!
Well that's cool. I've really heard totally different things but glad to know the butterfly police have backed off. That's interesting about a "small lot seed permit". What exactly is it? There was someone on here last year in Canada asking for lots of seeds. I just offered ideas but knew there had to be some restrictions on sending seeds to them. I just don't have the time or energy to get that involved. (It probably doesn't require as much as I think)
I did find some info that looks to me like it reads that you need a permit to send butterflies, that only 9 species are allowed, and not across the continental divide. I'm just reading it quickly tho, and you'll see they are a few years old. And I also see that one page says "live" butterflies, so I'm not sure what a chrysalis is considered. ?
Please don't take my post as my implying that you are intentionally doing something wrong. I certainly wouldn't want anyone to get in any kind of trouble so I was just passing along info that I've seen passed on before, in case someone might want to know. I'm just like that, I pass on info. lol (what a legacy) Read it if you want to or just ignore me.
http://www.butterflybreeders.com/pages/permitting_corner.html#Anchor-Decisio-50877
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/permits/plantpest/butterflies/release.html
This message was edited Jan 8, 2007 9:56 PM
Sending seeds was complely prohibited until about the middle of 2006... That when they made it possible for people to send and receive small lots of seeds which are not on the invasives they have listed. Even though the seeds I ordered were not on the list, the permit is required. The package goes through customs and is inspected, even opened.. They will seize anything more than a certain amount, or that is on the prohibited list. It was worth the trouble because now that's out of the way. I have the pdf. of my permit here now too for electronic orders..
The APHIS permit is a pretty new thing, in other words.. So the owner of twining-vine was happy to help me place my small starter test order. I was able to obtain the permit in about 2 weeks. DH scanned it in and made me a pdf which can be printed out in seconds on the Canada end. Then my order went through and Sandy was as generous as she could be without going over the amounts specified. Now she can provide the information on her website where other people can understand how it works, what to do, and what to expect.
This message was edited Jan 8, 2007 10:09 PM
So you were trying to order seeds from Canada? Was this something you just couldn't find in the states? Just curious. I think you have a serious addiction! ;)
LOL! I'm wondering if I have OCD! (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) Actually, I haven't received any plants outside the USA. Yet. But many of the plants in my yard originated in other countries. So I think the plant police are a couple hundreds years too late! ;-O
It's very easy to become obsessive about plants!! I would get something in my head that I wanted and go to every nursery around hunting for it. I never bothered ordering it online because the hunt for it was part of my fun. I could go shopping and not always buy something that way too, but I usually did.
I was SO good last year and hardly bought anything. I normally have a ton of new pots outside daily because I couldn't resist going to Lowe's but I finally ran out of space, and money. I've still got about 20 little pots in my garage from the last swap that I'll have to plant too.
The whole invasive plant thing is so confusing to me too. How does anyone actually keep track of plants?? I know there is a system somewhere but my brain just can't wrap around the enormity of it.
Actually I am only a gardener, that's my occupation. Can't imagine someones job being referred to as an addiction, but if it is to you, cool! I can think of worse things to be addicted to. Maybe a workaholic, lol. I love my work, waiting, and watching the rewards are a payback of time well spent. Gardening literally saved my life. It is something I can trust, and it keeps me out of trouble.
Thanks for all your concerns!
I guess it's been my occupation for the last 5 years too then. I'm not ashamed to admit I've been quite addicted to it tho. I've loved it more than anything I've ever done and have learned more than I thought I possibly could from plants and butterflies. One of the best things I have learned is patience. I can wait now. I know it will be worth it.
Now your talkin' Paige!! It is so worth it!
I didnt think there was anything that could keep you out of trouble Deb.................. hehe
Hardly LOL! That's why I am a gardener..It is the only thing that has proved to keep me out of trouble, my friend!
haha
Oh well carry on gardening then, and be a good girl.......................
LOL
Mark - Does gardening Crocosmias keep YOU out of trouble???? LOL!
Most of the time Becky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But as you know, i dont just garden crocosmia................. LOL
I know NOW!!! LOL! You're quite the gardener, Mark! I wanna be YOU when I grow up! LOL!
LOL.............. Amazing what you learn when you ask, isnt it???
Awwwwwwwwwwwwww, how sweet of you................
Well ...... I was debating whether to tell all of you this or not, but .....
I have a blue iris that I got from HD that I have been trying to grow in the "still" pond. It had been sending up some tall, slender leaves. Well, I noticed that they are chewed down again. So I looked real close and sure enough, there was a baby cat just like the one that I started this thread about. I moved it to one of the lily leaves because the iris is sitting in water with no lilies near it for it to crawl to. The iris leaves were about down to the water line in the pot so this little cat had nowhere to go.
I don't know what to do about him. Leave him and forget him and hope he survives. If I take him out of the pond, I have no idea what other plant leaves to feed him. If I pick a waterlily leaf out of my pond and put it in a container, the leaf won't last long. I am NOT pulling up all my waterlilies to feed this cat. So do I let nature take it's course? Or does anyone have an idea?
Whatever this cat is, the momma always lays the egg on the iris leaf and from there the little cat crawls (if it can) to the waterlilies.
I would let nature take it's course Becky.. If we try to raise some things, it can turn out interresting and probably educational, but the time spent is another thing. Some of these sweet little critters can turn out to be even more of a distraction overall. So you have my vote.. but it is your choice. :-) I will support whatever you decide..you know that!
:-SSS
It makes it more challenging because we don't know exactly what it is and it seems to prefer the water plant. I have to agree with Deb, even though I'm curious as to what it is.
awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww another poor little cat for Becky to look after..................... if it dies Becky dont tell us............. it upsets us!!!
I hear ya Roxie... we are curious!!
Yeah, but you know what curiosity did to the cat.....
I checked on the wee fella today and he's still out in the pond. (Much to my surprise!)
I put up some bird feeders in my yard very close to the pond. The birds have been drinking out of the pond and luckily haven't seen this little cat. My daughter came home today from school and said she looked out the back kitchen window and couldn't believe how many birds there were on the ground and up on the feeders. So that little cat better keep hidden or he'll be breakfast, lunch, or dinner for some hungry bird!
Yaaaay Becky had birds!! How cool, it didn't take them very long at all!
Humm kitchen window.. how's your zoom lense?
Lousy zoom range! And I am looking through not one.... but TWO screens from the kitchen window. I don't have any good windows at the back of my house. Hmmm... maybe my daughter's corner bedroom window. I'll have to check that window out tomorrow. I didn't see the birds, but I did notice that the feeder on the very top of the post is the feeder they are eating from. For some reason they don't seem to like the flat feeder. The seeds were half way down in the top feeder. Perhaps because it doesn't move like the hanging flat feeder.
What are you putting on the flat feeder?
Deb - I am putting the same thing in ALL 4 feeders. It's the no waste seed mix. It's got everything shelled already. The birds seem to be just using the one feeder sitting on top of the post. I don't know if the flat feeder hanging along with the other feeders on the other pole spooks them because they move. They seem to prefer the secure feeder over the hanging ones.
I can't wait until Saturday when I can actually keep an eye on the feeders to see what birds come to eat. I miss them during the week when I am working. I caught some cardinals yesterday briefly. They are the neighborhood cardinals and I see them and the hawk all the time.
I didn't get a chance to check the pond today to see if the little cat is still alive. I did get Karen's papyrus today in the mail. They looked great and I potted them up and added them to both ponds right at dusk.
THANKS so much for sharing your dwarf papyrus, Karen!!! They are a very nice addition to my ponds!
I would put other kinds of things in the tray than in the feeders.. Such as dried fruit and raw peanut halves. I am thinking about placing one in the tree right here by my window, but then I would need to rethink the suet I have out for the R-C Kinglet.
Oh I saw a baby one today... It is even smaller than she is. I have so many pictures that I need to make a new thread just for Kinglet and her baby. I wonder if there are many more of them here now... Here is a sneak peek of the baby> I sometimes crack the window and play their sound. *Warning* Do not have your cat in your lap when playing these calls..it could leave a mark..LOL!
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Ruby-crowned_Kinglet.html#sound
OH how cute!!