Well today after the tropical strom pasted and the sun came out.Thought I'd better check to see how all the plants made it through the storm.I was picking up small broken limbs that had come down when I noticed a Zebra Longwing showing interest in the corky vine and seeing her stop and lay a egg,I said to myself well it's about time thank you.I went over to see what it looked like and then to see if there any others.Well on the other side of the vine to my surprise I saw 3 tiny cats probably 2nd instar the two largest ones were just starting to turn more white than the smallest one. I found about 6 or 7 more eggs.I was a pretty happy camper to say the least.
I continued my tour and looked at the pots of pipevine and thoght to myself that stuff is really starting to take off.I've got it up againt a stockade fence and noticed it was going though it and was curious how much it had grown on the other side.So to the other side I went and when I got to where the PV was It had 4 flower buds on it and 2 had opened.(a first for me to had have a pipevine bloom)well I was looking it over pretty good then I looked at one of the opened buds and saw 4 cats all lined up in a row having lunch on the bud,well holy cow I ran to the Butterflies of Florida field guide and they sure look like pipevine swallowtail larva to me.Then I inspected all the pipevine and found several little cluster of the eggs on the other PV plants. Now the fun begins. wish me luck.
Don
Jimminny Christmas!! I've got PVST and ZL Cats
A big CONGRATS!!! Woohoo!!! That is truly wonderful news!!!
Please post the ZL eggs and life cycle as it progresses.
I have yet to see that and although I've gotten ZLs in my yard nectaring on duranta and lantana...it's only been this year that I added other kinds of passiflora to my back yard. Hopefully they will take a shine to my new vines.
~ Cat
Wow, what a day! You must be elated to say the least!!
Yay Don!
That Corky will do it every time! Fabulous!
What kind of Pipevine do you have? I get Polydamus Swallowtails on mine. Here's a pic of them.
Congrats again!
Adrienne
Doing the Happy Dance for you Don
Oh my gosh, Don! That is fabulous news!!! I can't wait to see your photos of the Zebra Longwings! And the Pipevine Swallowtails too!
I am growing Pipevine for the first time this year. All started from seed. Slow growing, but I am hopeful that by Fall I'll have some nice vines along my back fence.
Please photograph their growth. I will need some visuals of what to look for and how long their life cycle is.
Way to go!!!!!
Cat thanks ,today was the first time I saw them on the p.suberosa,but evidently, they've been laying eggs for a few days atleast. I will try and keep the process posted.
Sheila, I was elated,over joyed ,and doing the backyard jig. thanks
Adrienne,Thanks I've got Elegans,Frimbata,tomentosa,and a couple the writing faded off of the tag and I didn't realise it until it was to late to remember.I'm sure they will all be eatten down to the nubs because none of them are all that big..I'm sure I'm going to be looking for somewhere local to buy pipevine to feed the hungry mob.same with the corky stem.
Do you have any poly's now?
Donna, It's called the Backyard Butterfly Jig (lol) Thanks
Becky, Thanks I'm just beginning to realise I'm probably not going to have enough p.suberosa to get the ZL's through.I have found a few patches in my yard I didn't even realise I had.I hope I get a few through the whole process.I'll try and keep good photo's of the journey.
Yeah pipevine is slow growing at first,it seems to go faster the second year.
Don - I've come to the conclusion that the majority of perennial plants grow underground their first year and then burst into above-ground growth the second year. That's been my experience. Glad to hear that you found some more patches of the Pipevine in your yard. It always amazes me how much caterpillars can eat. I haven't met a cat yet that wasn't a piggie! lol
Good luck growing enough to feed them all! :-)
Boy am I bummed out.Went out at first light to check on the new dicoveries to not be able to find the zebra longwing cats-vanished-gone-What a mistake not getting them into a cage yesterday.Brings a grown man to tears! Well I still have some eggs that were layed yesterday.Now could someone give me a refresher on how to and the best way to harvest the eggs to protect them and give them a good chance to hatch.
The other cats that I thought were pipevine swallowtails,I've changed my id to Polydamus swallowtails,and they now are in a protected cage on a vine of pipevine.I'm sure the reason I thought they were pipevine sw.is they were all clustered inside one of the pods of the bloom and in it's shadow and it was cloudy out and they looked black with the tubercles .Also the first time I'd seen the cats live and in person.Pictures are good but up close and personel is always differant.
Pipes or Poly's makes little differance to me,blessed that any find my plants at all,thankful that they have.
Now off to search for some wild p.suberosa and to pot it up so the next time I'll be ready for the zebra cats. Don
Oh bummer! I am so sorry Don about the ZL eggs. That is so disappointing. But ya know the adults found you, so they will be back!!! Keep an eye out for them.
You might want to purchase some small starter plants or sow some seeds of the host plant in a pot. I find that to be so much easier than trying to take leaves off the plant for the cage. The leaves/vines wilt rather quickly. You could try sticking the stems in soaked florist foam in a shallow dish to keep them hydrated and then place it all inside a cage. But personally, I prefer just potted plants that go easily inside the cage. You just have to watch out for cat predators on the pots. Inspect them thoroughly before adding to a cage. It's a lot of work, but the payoff is awesome when you can raise them from egg to butterfly! :-) Good luck!!!
Don - I wanted to correct what I just wrote. The leaves on the vines that I have grown don't wilt too fast. Especially the older leaves. I have had a leaf last 2 days before wilting in my cages. It's the new young tender leaves that wilt quickly.
Don't forget to take pics Don! Inquiring minds and eyes want to see!!
Sorry to hear about the ZLW eggs....criminy!!! will the predators never cease!
Am sure if you keep checking your plants periodically you'll see more eggs. Some buttterflies keep laying eggs for several days...or so it seems out here because I keep finding new Guava Skipper eggs every day.
~ Cat
Yes Don, More will come along. I have learned a lot of hard things just like you have here. Now you can get the stock ready for the coming summer crowd. Glad you also have the Polys to console the loss of the zlw's.
I wonder what goes on behind the fence my passionvine is on. It's in my back neighbors yard. I have wondered if they like the flowers, cats and butterflies, (or not). So far they haven't complained is all I know.
:-) Deb
Thanks Gals,
It's almost like admiring a cute lady from a distant and finally getting her agreeing to go out with you and just before you leave for your first date she calls yeah and say's she's got to wash her hair and forget asking her again..So there's always the next one to try.
Deb, I've been wondering that for a while now.Who doesn't enjoy flowers? I've had the please don't use round-up along the fence talk,with some success.As long as they were given a flower show The please don't use pesticides on their yard talk hasn't gone as well though.I've gotten your yard is your's and mine is mine.That's a fight I don't think anyone can win.So we do what we can.
Don
LOL about your elusive ZLW and dating! Too funny!
I say we all move into a neighborhood next to each other and that way we will have a garden paradise that covers blocks!!! Wouldn't that be a great way to garden and share our passion for plants, butterflies, and hummers!? :-) :-) :-)
Don~ You really know how to put the passion in the passionflower butterflies. I do relate to the "beyond the grasp" state of losing cats very well. (LOL is right becky!)
A month or more ago I heard some lawn guy tinkering back there behind me, and I hollered over the fence. "What are you spraying back there?" I said. "Oh, it's only a pre-emergent." He replied. I said "By all means, do not get any where it will get in my yard, I am trying to raise butterflies here. It had better not kill any of my caterpillars!!" Guess I told him, rofl, not that it does any good. *pfump*
:-D
This message was edited Jun 3, 2007 12:10 PM
Too funny Deb!!! I get calls from friends and relatives when ever they find a caterpillar. I've got them all on caterpillar patrol!!! I've actually driven 20 miles to go pick up a caterpillar in the middle of the night :o) Now why can't moth cats learn to stay off the driveway and eat during the day time...and what are my friends doing out at the wee hours of the morning?!
Don...you should see my neighborhood. Everyone has nicely trimmed lawns and carefully landscaped areas or rather some with no plants at all...just a mowed lawn.
My yard looks like a jungle...the mailman has trouble getting to the front door through the walkway...which is close to being overrun by my passiflora vine! The front flower bed is overgrown...the sides of the house are running a close second. The back yard is beyond comprehension...but it is my haven and a haven for butterflies and moths as well.
...and when my neighbor's mom comes to stay with them she will sit outside for hours just watching the hummies and butterflies amusing themselves in my front yard. So guess if I made a little old lady smile it makes it all worthwhile.
~ Cat