Scratching my head .....

Here I go again......

I saw what I believe was a Tiger Swallowtail. It was actually laying eggs on a plant I would not have expected. I have a small Jasmine bush and it was all over that bush. I went inside and of course she left when I came back out to take her photo. But I did get some photos of the eggs she laid on the Jasmine leaves. They are kind of a tan color. I am not sure what type of Jasmine this bush is. It is not the vining type but more of the shrub type. It has fragrant small white flowers. But I can't remember exactly what the flowers look like.

I checked my Florida Butterfly book and the internet for host plants for the Tiger Swallowtail and can not find Jasmine listed anywhere as a host plant. So now I am at a loss. Anyone ever heard of this?

That's weird, but if that plant is of the genus Jasminum, then the family is Oleaceae, and that is one of the families the Tigers like. What do you think?

Rox - I didn't make the Oleaceae family connection to the Jasmine plant. That is soooo weird! I have never heard of anyone getting Tiger Swallowtails caterpillars on their Jasmine bushes. This bush has been there at least 3 years and I have never noticed butterflies around it or cats or any other insect eating it.

Well, I am reading my Florida Butterfly Book and it says that the eggs are large, round, and green. Not tan. So now I am really confused.

But ..... Giant Swallowtails have large, round, orange eggs. The females lay them one or two at a time. There are two eggs very close together on that leaf in the photo. But ..... Jasmine is NOT a host plant for the GST.

So what the heck DO I have here? Okay here's the other weird thing...... the yellow stripes on the wings of the butterfly appeared to be going horizontal on the wings, not vertical like most Tiger Swallowtails. There was a lot of yellow, some thin black stripes. And the underside of the wings looked just like that of a GST. It didn't really look like either TST or GST.

Is there another species of Swallowtail or some other large butterfly that mimics the colors of the TST?

And I do have 2 healthy WIld Lime bushes in my yard. Do you suppose it was a GST and it was confused as to what plant it was on? I don't see how a Butterfly could make that mistake about it's host plant. No eggs or butterflies around my Wild Lime bushes.

I'm really confused about this!!!! (Sheesh!)

I'm confused too. What about rarities, like, a Schaus's SWT, Bahamian SWT, Androgeus SWT, Ornythion SWT, or Broad-Banded SWT. These are rare, but possible. I haven't checked their larvae food, but you could look them up and see if they look like yours. The little pics I have of these kind of have the stripes different.

Rox - I looked all those up and looked at the photos and none look like what I saw. I don't know. If it comes back tomorrow, I will try to take a photo of it for IDing. If it is a GST, then luckily I have the 2 Wild Lime bushes to move them to when they become cats. If they are TST, then I will leave them on the Jasmine and just watch to see what happens. I don't have any host plants for the TST that I know of if the Jasmine is not a host plant.

I wonder how often a butterfly lays it's eggs on the wrong host plant?

You're talking about the yellow Tiger right?

Maybe you can id them when they hatch. It's exciting! I have Jasmine and have never seen any bf's around it or lay eggs on it, but it's in the shade.
I guess it's possible she laid the eggs there by accident. Remember a while back, was it Cat, that said she had found Monarch eggs on the fence?

You did it again, Becky....another stumper! LOL

Rox - No .... that was ME that had GF laying eggs on the fence instead of the Passion Vine. Hmmmm...... Why do I get all the weird butterflies???? Must be something in the water around here! LOL!

Oh, sorry........you know that explains the hummingbird problem too heehee

How odd!!! I also remember that post about the GF laying eggs on the fence!!! Don't feel bad...I had some lay eggs on the soffits of my house! But never had anything lay eggs on jasmine...then again...I don't have jasmine :o) snicker snicker.

I do know that Ornythions lay eggs on citrus...as I found some caterpillars on an orange tree last year.

Then again...this is a strange year...first time I had Giant Swallowtails using rue plants...they normal stick to the citrus trees or native colima trees. It's pretty cool to see both GST and BST cats on the same plants :o)

Yep...must agree...that would probably explain the hummie problem. ROLF!!!

Keep us posted on those eggs!!!

~ Cat

Becky, could this be the butterfly you saw?
http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=1670

Cat - This IS a strange year so far!!! It was a very warm winter in my area. I'm seeing more unexpected butterflies and cats in my yard. Maybe there is something going on ..... .like the effects of Global Warming. There is going to be water restrictions here because it is so dry. Very little rain this Spring. Another unusual condition. I don't know what to think of all of this. Just so odd.

Josephine - No. I know what a Zebra Longwing looks like. It was definitely a Swallowtail Butterfly. I will try to get photos tomorrow if I see it! Usually the females keep coming back to the "host" plant to lay more eggs day after day.

Becky, Your Jasmine looks a lot like my Sambac, "Maid of Orleans". This will be an interresting development if you can watch and see it through. It's not unusual for a bf to lay eggs in a place other than the greens of their own host, but usually they get close enough for the new larvae to crawl to it. The food energy they get from eating their shell in amazing.
Looks like ya got yourself a situation there sistah, lol! Lord knows you love a good mystery..
:-S- hahaha
Deb

Here's one of my Sambac Jas's> (under my old pre-membership aliases). Is this what yours is?

Deb - Yes, yours does look very much like what I have! There are no host plants for either GST or the TST near the Jasmine bush. (At least not anything that I am aware of.) I have been seeing this butterfly off and on for several weeks now. She comes through the same area of my backyard garden beds almost daily. She was all over the Jasmine yesterday. Go figure!

This is sort of like the mystery of the Nasturtiums, Pentas, and Four O'Clock plants that I discovered are host plants for moths and Great Southern White butterflies. I had NO idea about those either!!!

I would imagine that many butterflies have had to adapt because of the progress and development in their native habitats. (Especially here in Florida!) Most people do not plant native plants in their yards, so perhaps the butterflies/cats are adapting to keep from going extinct?

I'm going out to check on that Jas today... I have about 4 different ones, and Sambac is my utmost favorite. The blooms are so fragrant, even better than gardenia imo, (if y'all can imagine that). I cant grow Gardenia well, but I can't kill these.. They stay put, transplant well, and cuttings from new growth take every time. It grows and blooms indoors too!! Everybody must have at least one.

Can't wait to see what ya have there rolled up in those eggies.


Deb

OK, it's early, I know, but am I the only one who thinks that doesn't look anything like a jasmine but actually does look like a citrus? Aren't jasmine leaves usually opposing and citrus are alternate, the color, shape, and shine also says citrus to me.

Got to wondering...is your jasmine from the oleaceae or solanaceae family?

There are clearwing butterflies that use some species of cestrum as larval hosts. Have no idea what their eggs would look like though...but the cestrums they use aren't usually found in the USA. The rare clearwing butterflies we get from Mexico and are predominately in Costa Rica as are the plants.

I believe only cestrum parqui is sold in the US...but never could find a source for any of the other cestrum species like lanatum, megalophyllum, racemosum, san luis and others.

If you're sure you saw a Tiger laying the eggs I guess that rules out a clearwing butterfly...but it could happen?!

~ Cat
~ Cat

I have heard of the GST using orange jasmine, but I guess that's not what you have. I've had the sambac jasmine for years, but I've never seen any butterfly using it as a host plant.

Oh! OK, if that's "orange jasmine" AKA murraya paniculata, not a true jasmine at all, but isn't it a host plant for the GST and I read the eggs for the GST can be brown, just not always. Are you sure it couldn't have been a GST?

azreno - It could be a Giant Swallowtail Butterfly that was laying the eggs on the Jasmine. Why I wasn't certain is because there was a LOT of yellow with some black on the top of the wings. Usually GST have quite a bit more black on the top wings. But the underside of it DID look just like a GST. So .... it probably was one. I have not seen it again this afternoon. But it has also been very windy today. That often keeps the butterflies away.

Well, hopefully we've identified your plant as well as your eggs! I saw one flying around our grapefruit tree recently but no eggs sadly, I see one in the yard sometimes drinking now, very nice site to see. I'm new at ID'ing my bf's but I knew from the yellow on tail, was pretty proud of myself lol I'm so close to getting soem guinness stout so I can make some bait now I'm starting to draw something besides GF's in

Lynn....off to get a murraya paniculata :o)

Well, if it were more cold hardy, I'd love to have one! But alas, it freezes here and I have no greenhouse.

Y'all are crackin me up here, lol! Josephine has a mock orange, and if that's a murraya paniculata, it is a wonderful plant. I already have my quota of GST hosts now, or I would run out with Lynn and snap one up in a heartbeat. However it is tropical, (Hawaiian), and I need to control myself. (I hear you too Linda).
Of course it grows good in FL, lucky you Beckaroo! I will have to have it vicariously with you I suppose..
Keep us posted on the little eggs gf! Can't wait to see them hatch.. Watch out for wasps too, those bad boys have been on patrol of my Rutaceaes here and they are good at finding them. If they make it to a cat their camo can work for them, but as eggs they are most vulnerable. Suppose you could take them in....

:-) Deb

Hey Debnes, just a note to say I saw a GST getting really excited to see my Rue that you gave me last year!! Hopefully it was a female, I was unable to get a picture it was so flighty.
Sorry for hijacking your thread Becky, was just lurking tonight.

Sheila - Oh you are NOT hijacking my thread. I believe what I have eggs of are the GST! I should probably plant some Rue in my herb garden and perhaps in other areas of my garden. I keep reading where it is attracting them in other folks garden beds.

Hey Becky ((waving!!))
I shouldn't be up this late, but since I am not working and seem to sleep half of my days, lol!
Deb had bought a couple of Rue plants, and gave me one last year that came with GST eggs on it! The cats made it to 2nd instar then died. I wondered if it was a trace of insecticide on some of the older leaves because they were doing fine then just stopped eating. I so want to try again, so I am hoping it was a female.

I keep seeing a single GST flying around my grapefruit tree, but I never see 2. This one will flitter in and out of the braches for several minutes, is it hoping to find a mate?

Hey Sheila - {{{Waving Back}}} Hmmm .... that's very interesting about the cat dying. There is still so much we DON'T know about butterflies and cats, IMHO. :-/ I have my fingers crossed ya got a female!!! :-)

azreno - My bet would be that it is laying eggs. If I am correct, the butterflies mate wherever and then the female flies off to find a host plant. Keep your eyes peeled. In about a week or so. ... You might just find some cats on your Grapefruit tree! :-)

OMG! I hope so, I had no idea, I thought I would at least see a pair together somewhere! I can't wait, I'm so glad you said that :)

I didn't see a single GST today, but among over a dozen species, I did see a lot of SBSTs flying through like they hatched out from somewhere over across the tracks. A few came through the yard, but steered quickly, There was a lot of activity in the back at the time. Sure they will be back, or more will come along. My Spicebushes still need to fill out more, and I will probably need a mesh cage to put over at least one of the bushes. I have one in a pot 2 in the ground.

Was an extremely busy day with butterflies..will have to post it tomorrow.

) _. {) zzzz
)

I didn't see a single GST today, but among over a dozen species, I did see a lot of SBSTs flying through like they hatched out from somewhere over across the tracks. A few came through the yard, but steered quickly, There was a lot of activity in the back at the time. Sure they will be back, or more will come along. My Spicebushes still need to fill out more, and I will probably need a mesh cage to put over at least one of the bushes. I have one in a pot 2 in the ground.
I saw a first spring hummer this afternoon, too quick for me to get a shot. He was nectaring Jackie's Sweet Peas...Yaaaay! More will come now, maybe tomorrow, and I can get some pics.

Was an extremely busy day with butterflies..will have to post it in the morning.

) _. {) zzzz
)

Looks like you dozed off there Deb and hit the post button twice!! LOL!

Could be the eggs aren't big enough for me to see, since I can't bend over for a close look yet. I will keep an eye out for them.

SHeesh! Thx Sheila, I'm out of edits for the day LOL! Will have to fix it tomorrow..

Deb

I don't see any eggs or catties on my grapefruit tree :( We've had some horrible wind, hopefully there are some on it somewhere.