Drove out to the ranch today and around 5:00pm I noticed lots of Pipevine Swallowtails heading for the trees. They were trying to get the last of the setting sun and as they settled in for the evening. Have seen communal roosts for monarchs and queens but never noticed Pipevines before. Am still hoping to find a herd of Zebra Longwings :o)
Here's some photos of the Pipevine Swallowtails - photos aren't that great as they were way up in the trees :o)
~ Cat
Another photo
Another photo of another batch of roosting Pipevine Swallowtails. There were six different roosts that I saw.
They were visiting me about 3 or 4 weeks ago.....i didn't know what they were and I even have a new book on birds.....they were everywhere in the trees.....good pics...thanks and now i know what they are!!!! I am about 2 hours north of you I think.
How funny!!!!! At first, I thought they were birds.................this is more amazing!!!!! I still don't know what those birds that came indroves a few weeks ago were......sorry, Cat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This message was edited Feb 17, 2007 9:54 PM
That's neat Cat! Is it warm where you are? What zone are you in?
I'm in zone 9b...deep in the south tip of Texas. It was 51 degrees when I headed out there this morning...but by noon time it was nice and warm...but still a bit windy.
The photos were taken at the ranch in San Isidro, TX. There were Pipevine Swallowtails everywhere! Must have seen at least 300 in the thirty minutes it took me to drive around the back field!!! Saw only a few of any other kind of butterfly though...strange!!! This just means I'll have to drive out there again next weekend and hopefully find ovipositing females. I'd like to get some photos and find their larval host plant - swan flower (aristolochia erecta). It's a low growing plant and extremely hard to find in the tall grass and overgrown brush...but if I can find females flitting close to the ground hopefully I can then put some flag stakes where the plants are and harvest seeds if the caterpillars don't eat them to the ground. I know there has to be gobs of it out there as we have such an abundance of Pipevine Swallowtails...I just can't seem to find it!!!
Last year I found one lone plant only because I was driving around in the early morning and saw several of the Pipevine caterpillars on it...their bright orange coloring makes them stand out :o)
~ Cat
This message was edited Feb 17, 2007 9:20 PM
Wow that is really something, great pictures, thanks for sharing.
Awesome Cat! What a great find! Any idea why there is such a large group of them? You'll have to keep us informed and teach us about this. In the meantime, I'm impatiently waiting for my pipevine seeds to germinate!
Oh that is soooo cool! What a sight!!
Yes, I too, would like to know why they are doing this roosting in your area. I hope you are able to find out more about this and share with all of us! I am wondering if their host plant is growing at this time in your area? Or are they migrating somewhere? Or what?
Hey ya'll...
I have no idea why they are roosting in the nearby trees. We've always had plenty of PVS flitting around the ranch but this is the first time I'd seen them roosting together :o)
Seems most were freshly emerged. The colors were bright and the wings undamaged. Maybe it's because our weather is cool at night and they are seeking the highest limbs to catch the last and first of the sun? Or possibly they decided to roost close to the yard as it is filled with blooming wildflowers as compared to the back fields which are overgrown with grass and shrubs?
I'll have to ask our local NABA about them. Maybe someone there will know.
Does anyone know if PVS have communal roosts?
~ Cat
Super awesome Cat!!
Tell them to wait a while, my pipevines don't have any leaves yet!! I'm working as diligent as ever getting my hosts prepared, and the only things I have fully ready are for BST and GF......just a matter of time now.
Still dormant:
Aristolochia macrophylla
Hops
Flying Dragon
Paw Paw
Milkweed
Seedlings:
Agalinas
More Passionvine
Nicotianna
Cassias
That's just a few, but I will be ready for about 12 or more species in a few months.
Lots of Nectar plants too, still dormant or seedlings now.
Cat, thanks for sharing the roosting PVSTs..it is makin me a little antsy, but they are beautiful!!
Deb :-SSSS
I should add that I still have LOTS of Aristolochia tomentosa seeds for anyone who needs any..
Just send a SASBE to me I will pack it!! My addy is in the exchange under "Extras".
Deb
