Daily Pics of Butterflies

Greetings Butterfly and Hummingbird Gardeners!

I thought I would start a 'daily pics' thread for putting pictures of butterflies in on a regular basis. This way a good daily pic can be added by anyone who saw and got shot they want to post too. I have been seeing a lot of new and different flying friends lately, yet I don't need to make a new thread every time I see something. I can just add it in here. When this thread gets to long to load someone can make a new thread to follow it. It works well in the Bird Watching forum, so I figured it would be a good option here for those who wish to join me. All are welcome...

Show me your Daily Butterfly Pictures!!

Today this Gray Hairstreak visited for a while on several blooms in back>

And a pretty Red Admiral came to rest for a bit.. They aren't as interrested in the blooms. Maybe it's time to make a little batch of Guinness Stout/banana butterfly goop for these guys.

:-D

Great idea!!! This time line should give us all a reference point on what, when and where to expect butterflies :o)

I was at the ranch on Satuday...winds were 23 mph but there were gobs of sulphurs, checkered whites and pipevine swallowtails still flitting about.

Here at home there were six fresh Mournful Duskywings on my duranta. Must've all emerged close by. There larval host is oak...and I have two huge trees in my yard...not to mention all the dratted runners that pop up :o) Never realized oak was a food tree. Hmmm...I'll never be able spot a caterpillar on those huge trees!

An equal number of sulphurs and whites flitting here too. Also saw a fresh Red Admiral was at the duranta too. They prefer butterfly brew and fruit...so I'll have to make a batch of bait this week. Had put it off due to the lousy weather.

Had three hummies zipping between the duranta and cape orange honeysuckle. Did come inside to fill up a couple of small feeders for them too. It took the female about 45 seconds to zero in on the feeders!!! Didn't take any photos as I was potting up some plants and getting seeds started.

Oh...and the Guava Skipper caterpillars are getting cuter every day. Getting big too. Strange critters...always tucked inside their refugium. I cleaned out their cat cage - they stink! Or maybe it was just the old guava tree leaves. Anyway, I removed a couple from their nests and nudged them onto fresh leaves. The others I just cut around the old leaves and set those on new leaves. Figured they'll come out when they're good and ready and make a new home on a fresh leaf.

Here's a photo of a gobs of sulphurs back at the ranch. I think the bush they are on is called White Brush...every time I saw one of these there were gobs of butterflies on it.

I was able to get 14 sulphurs and one gray hairstreak in this photo :o)

~ Cat


This message was edited Apr 15, 2007 10:46 PM

Wow Cat!
You have flocks down there now...what a world that is! Nothing short of enchanting! I was really pleased to see the Hairstreaks.. the first one up there was like brand new and shiney.. Then another came through that looked like he flew the 450 mile trek in a hailstorm or something.. Tough little guys

Hey Deb, I know we've discussed it ad nauseum, but can I use any beer instead of stout? and what is the recipe again?

Hi Karen!
I found this one of Cats posts from Jan -2006 http://davesgarden.com/place/t/572316/:

Karen,

The dark Stout beers works much better than those regular or lite brands. I've tried the cheaper brands and they just doesn't do it. I pay something like $8 for a six pack of Guiness Stout beer! It keeps well in the refrig and a gallon of butterfly brew lasts a long time out here...well, unless you plan to paint the forest on a daily basis...which I don't :o)

I have several other butterflying friends and we've all tried different brands - but have learned to stick with the good stuff. We take turns buying the beer and we split the bottles amongst us each time. Other than that I might let Honey Do guzzle down after all the honey-do work is done!!!

~ Cat

Thanks very much, will try it.

Deb-
Do you refridge the mix or let it sit out?

~Adrienne

Don't refrigerate the mixture...this slows down the fermenting process. Best left out in the back porch or garage...but remember to VENT!!! Air pressure will built up quickly as the fermentation process continues...so you need to twist off the top every day or so...or sometimes even more if your temperatures are over 100 degrees. Be careful with flying tops...if you're twisting it off slowly the pressure might just blow it off!!! Been there...done that...barely missed getting hit in the face by a flying bottle cap. Have gotten smacked on the palm a time or two :o)

~ Cat

I am thinking to put it into a plastic gallon milk jug. And then to keep the cap off. Think that would work?

Karen,
It won't firment if you don't keep it closed, plus all sorts of flies, ants and buggies will get into it.. flies might lay eggs too.

Maybe a sturdy flap could be made for the cap by making a small hole in it and super-gluing a fairly rigid piece of plastic over the hole. Then it would burp itself maybe..

I know your concerned abuut the nasty explosion if ya forget to burp it every day or so. I hear ya.

Deb

This message was edited Apr 17, 2007 11:51 AM

No Deb, I was more concerned about the plastic. I don't mind keeping it closed and "burping it" every day. Would the plastic gallon jug do it?

I think that's what Cat uses. ...Isn't it Cat?

Good idea to start this thread, Deb. I like looking at photos of the different butterflies everyone has visiting their gardens. :-)

I need to make up some of that Buttterfly Brew, too. The thought of it exploding has made me somewhat hesitant to do it until I can be home every day to check on it. It gets very hot here in my zone and I would probably have to vent it daily.

Yes, I use plastic jugs...the gallon kind Ozark water comes in with a screw top. The plastic will expand/bulge as bit as the fermentation process goes on.

Do not fill up to the top...leave a few inches of space.

When I vent mine I squeeze the jug a bit and screw on the cap again...that way, it has a little bit more room to expand again. I only make about 1/2 gallon at a time.

You can easily use 2 liter soda bottles with screw on caps and divide up your mixture into several bottles.

I often divide up my mixture into smaller 20 ounce soda bottles. That way I can leave some at the ranch...or carry one with me when I'm out butterflying at the park or other ranch too. I can easily slip one into my camera bag and walk around and pour butterfly bait on the trees or a pile of rocks. By the time I make a second round...there are usually butterfly eagerly sipping away.

Several local butterflies also carry a small bottle of butterfly brew with them. It's nice to have them visit the park first then reap the benefits of butterflies already gathered. Our NABA Park has several bait stations set up just for us to use (a piece of wood with a groove routed out). They are hanging from the trees and others are staked in the ground.


If you use milk jugs with those pop on tops...they will fly off at the most in opportune times...and you're likely to get goo all over the place.

Best use a plastic jug with a screw on top. I have to vent mine daily when our temperatures get into the 100's...but when the weather is cooler I can forget about them for several weeks at a time.

~ Cat

Here's a photo of a bait station made from a piece of wood. There is a groove about 1/4" wide cut out on the top...so the butterfly bait will pool inside of it.

...an old tree stump works great too. Often time as the stump ages cracks form in it...butterfly bait will pool on the top and also seep into the cracks and down the side.

~ Cat

.. Gooooood-ness!! ..

It's standing room (oops! - flying room) only .. there, on that hanging log!! .. LOL

- Magpye

Cat said:
"Several local butterflies also carry a small bottle of butterfly brew with them."

In tiny little suitcases so they can carry more than one at a time ;-).

LOL ..

Yep, in their itsy-bitsy flasks in their tiny little 'brief' cases!!

((ahh, Cat .. ya best know that we luv ya dearly, kiddo!))

- Magpye

LOL!

Now that is TOOOOO cool!!! I've got several logs in my flowerbeds (put there to add texture and character to the bed) -- I'm going to try the Butterfly Brew. Thanks for sharing, Cat. And thanks, Deb, for starting this thread.

Carla

Your welcome Carla!
Nice to see you here!

Great idea Deb!

I saw a pair of Speckled Wood butterflies this morning. One was hanging around the roadway sunning itself later, they are regular visitors now. They are supposed to be shy, and were the first year I saw them but all my butterflies seem to know me now, even if they are new ones!

I got within 2" of it, the camera is supposed to take macro at 4" but with good light and care I can go closer. This is a well marked one, there are 3 subspecies I think.

What a great picture wallaby!! The butterflies you get there are very special. Love your Speckled Wood.. You might want to post it in the DG bug files, it's so clear!


Deb

Cat, what great puddling pics.....I need to set up some 'brew' too.

Wallaby, what a beautiful Speckled Wood, I've never seen one before.

I did put one in BugFiles last year, but that is a good one. Deb you have some very interesting butterflies too!

fly_girl, I had never seen them before until a couple of years ago, I have a lot of new butterflies come to the garden now as I develop more beds.

The Orange Tip I saw the first time last year, it comes when the Lathyrus vernus flowers open. They prefer the purple one which is probalby like the wild one. I had a pair but last year I've only seen the one this year and it had a hind wing missing, it was on the grass so I got a good close up. The markings one the under hind wing are much stronger than I saw last year.

Wings open/missing ......I hope it's OK.

Wow, it's amazing it can fly with that big of a portion missing, he's pretty!

It could fly but it was a little lop sided, I only saw it fly near the ground.

Did you spot the green eyes?

How unique!

Yes unique! Bold little fella wallaby ...Great colors! Maybe he flies in spirals, but he seems to get along.


How was your special day Roxanne? What'd ya get?

:-D

Fairly uneventful here with butterflies, or maybe I missed some. Except for this Red Admiral on the wall of the shed....

Thanks Deb! I got a little tiny Ipod that clips on, for when I run, and a beautiful poem, written by DH...it was a great day!

Pretty Red Admiral!

Happy Birthday, Rox!!!! Hope you had an absolutely lovely day!!!!

Birthday wishes from me too!!

Wallaby, that is one of the most beautiful butterflies I have ever seen!!

Late birthday wishes from me fly_girl!

Deb, the Red Admirals always stand out well in photos, I had one very early but have seen it again recently. There has also been a pair of Green-veined Whites with very strong markings a couple of days ago, but the pic was blurred.

The green markings on the Orange Tip remind me of moss agate, butterflies are amazing!

This Red Admiral was on the 6th March.

Aw Roxanne!
I'm so glad you had a good Bday..Those lil Ipods are very cool, my sis blew in from NE and she had one. The sound is amazing for such an eensy weensy thing. ....But the poetry, well ....that's priceless. You lucky girl!!

Hi Becky, Hi Karen ;-)

Yeah seems we share some bflies with you guys wallaby. Do you ever see the Small Tortoise Shell in Lincoln?...My friend in Scotland gets them.

Thanks everyone for the b'day wishes!!!

Thanks so much for posting that trick with the logs. Just had to take down thre e trees from the storm and all the parts are stil layign all over my front yard and I wonderign what I was gonna do with allthis wood as we in a no ban fire zone with the drought. I'll just take all these pieces of log and decorate the yard with little feeding stations.

That too cool.

Yes Deb I habve had the Small Tortoiseshell for the last 2 years, it appeared briefly in 2005 but last year I had more. There was a very small one I could hardly believe it was the same butterfly bu they do vary in size from when they hatch.

This is it on 21st July