They're here! Two of them couldn't wait any longer with the spring-like weather. Almost made it to March, that's good. Will have to bring them inside, tonight will be a bit cold, but maybe I'll let them go tomorrow.
2 Two-tailed Tigers Eclosed!
Here's the other one! They were both already out when I noticed them, but this one hadn't been out too long. I'm hoping the other two wait longer. There's just not a lot blooming yet.
GORGEOUS!!! We don't get those beauties this far south! I am envious! I love the look of their
caterpillars too.
~ Cat
They are incredibly beautiful!! We don't see them here either.
It is so hard to wait for those first beauties to arrive in the spring.
Just beautiful!!!
They are beautiful! I'm jealous! Spring is almost here tho and I'll see a couple coming thru. This week I saw a large Sulphur, a small orange, a Cabbage White and a Red Admiral!
I let them go today and wished them well. And later the last two remaining Gulf Fritillary chrysalides eclosed. I've noticed that those are always a bit smaller than the ones from warmer times of the year and the coloring is darker. At least now I know that GFs can overwinter after pupating unusually late in the year and make it to late February. I wonder, however...why do these butterflies emerge now? If they last this long, why not wait until late March to emerge instead? At that time, the freezing weather would most likely be over and there would be more blooming plants. I'd like to see the other two Two-Tailed Tigers wait that long, but it's so WARM! Tomorrow's forecasted high is 81 here.
Linda - Your 2 Tailed Swallowtails are beautiful! Maybe it IS going to start warming up for Spring and the butterflies know better than us! :-)
Linda;,,
We get the Tiger's up here in Ohio also, but this is the first time I've seen them with the twin tails like yours..... Those are really awesome.....
Thamks for sharing the pictures.....
...Dave