Bordered Patch ovipositing

Headed out to the other ranch early this morning. That property is five miles down a dirt and gravel road that is bordered by native brush on one side and crops on the other...and gobs of wild sunflowers growing in the ditches on both sides.

I decided to drive back through there slowly in the hopes of seeing some Bordered Patch caterpillars...no such luck.

However, right at the turn off to the main highway I saw a female Bordered Patch laying eggs on some sunflowers growing by the stop sign!!! Thank you Lord!!! I gathered three leaves that had a cluster of eggs on each. Way cool!!! Have two tall sunflowers growing in my yard...so will have plenty of food for the cats when they emerge.

~ Cat

Here's the female leaving little presents.



This message was edited Apr 29, 2007 7:12 PM

This is the topside of a Bordered Patch for those who have not seen them before. Can't remember what the other butterfly is...maybe a vesta crescent or something along those lines.

~ Cat

...also got this photo of what I believe is an aberrant Bordered Patch. The forewings look like normal Bordered Patch markings but the hind wings look like something you'd seen on a Rosita Patch. :o)

~ Cat

Congrats Cat! .... on finding the "Mother lode" of Border Patch eggs! You are getting to be quite the expert with all the photo IDing. Beautiful butterflies all of them! You always get such great photos! Thanks for sharing your good news with all of us! :-) Now ya gotta keep us posted on the eggs and cat progress!

Great pics...those BPs are pretty!

Thanks...I think Linda or was it Konkrete...that raised them last year? I didn't realize they laid so many eggs in one cluster! I waited until she got done with this cluster to snip the leaf...just look at all those eggs!!!

The other two leaves have about 25 and 35 eggs on each but this batch?! EEEEK!!! There must easily be 150 eggs on this leaf!

I must admit...I just love those colorful Halloweenie looking butterflies :o)

~ Cat

Wow, that is a bunch! And all together like that, they must like to stay together.....there is some safety in numbers.

...uhmmm...and get a load of this field...took this photo on the way back...the sunflowers are facing the afternoon sun - I missed out on getting the morning photo where they are facing the road...but this is surely Bordered Patch Heaven!!!

Am not sure if these farmers use pesticides. Bummer if they do...but many seeds are blown over or carried off by birds...I see lots of stray plants along the road to the ranch.

~ Cat

Cat - The photo of the eggs in incredible! THAT is a whole lotta eggs!!! I hope you have plenty of sunflower leaves.

I was lol at the photo of the sunflowers in the field! Looks like they were facing to watch a concert or something. Too funny!

How do you manage to get pictures of butterflies? I can't seem to get the hang of tip-toeing up to them before they flit off.

P

Wow Cat!!!!! What a lovely field! Good for framing imo! I think it was both Linda and Paige that had Bordered Patch last year.. I love the patterns on them, beautiful!! I have plenty of Sunflowers this year, hopefully I will get some too! If I don't in a month, I will go to the fields and find me some like you did, hehe! A nice gregarious clump you harvested there. Not to be separated until their last instars, a real tight knit family. Sweet! Sweet!

Peggy~ by this time next year you'll be a pro at getting good bf shots! This forum will build you into some enchanted gardener for sure! Stick with us gff!!

:o)

I was reading lasts night...said they don't use the giant sunflowers like those in those fields??? Anyone ever heard of that? The sunflowers growing wild are tall...but have noticed the blooms are only about 4" in diameter...so unlike these dinner plate sized ones.

Hmmmm...I've not stopped to check the sunflowers in those fields for eggs or caterpillars...possibly will do so next weekend.

~ Cat

Isn't it the 'Common Sunflower" the BP use as larval food? I think Linda's BPs were on Cowpen Daisies. I gathered lots of seed last fall for Common SFs. I have about 10 CP Daisies.
Please get back to me Cat on what you find out.

Here is a thread Paige had on BPs, Linda is in there too, you were right..


Deb