He loves the bananas I set out for the butterflies, and so do a lot of other little creatures.
Who is this guy?
Is that just a banana or did you make some of the butterfly mush I have read about.
I have 3 bananas that are too ripe, kids wont eat them. I have thought about the mush, but am too lazy right now. LOL
Do the butterflies like just plain bananas?
Chris
Chris, just certain BF's will eat rotting fruit, also, dung, tree sap and the homemade bf brew. I think it's true Brushfooted BF.s I may be wrong. I put out rotting fruit cause I haven't been able to find the Stout beer.
Might as well put out the bananas and see who comes. :)
Looks like a Sphinx moth to me!
Boy! I've been looking at all these rotting fruit photos and all the critters visiting them ...... hmmm ..... I haven't made the butterfly mash either, so may just lay some fruit out on plate and see what happens! Thanks for sharing your photo with all of us!
I was thinking Land Shrimp! LOL!
Way cool!!! I've never seen a sphinx moth coming to fruit. Broad daylight too!!!
The only big ones I've seen on bait out here are the Black Witches. Great photo!!!
~ Cat
that is the Nessus Sphinx Moth, about the only one you will ever see flying in the day time
ICF I just slice the over ripe bananas lenghtwise and lay them out around the yard
Yaaaa...if I laid out sliced naners in my yard the norway rats and opossums would have a feast...even as it is they eat the tangerines, oranges and grapefruit right off the trees!
Which reminds me...I need to make a batch of butterfly bait :o)
~ Cat
I did make the mash, but they love whole bananas - even ones that aren't rotten yet. I set both out to see what they prefer and it seems to me they like the whole fruit...
I was amazed at the variety of insects that liked it - especially that moth.
Another cool thing I noticed - at night the bananas are covered with moths, the night time butterflies.
It seems we never quite eat all the fruit I buy and I'm so glad that it can actually be useful feeding butterflies and other insects. I don't even mind the flies in hopes they inturn will be food for hummers.
The butterfly mash recipe is in a butterfly book I got - Butterfly Gardening for the South. But it has guinness extra stout, bananas, brown sugar and even a bit of rum in it. Once it ferments - the author says it actually intoxicates the butterflies. It seems like it they way they chase and play :-)
I saw a similar recipe on here for mash too -
This message was edited Jul 2, 2007 11:07 PM
Just got around to reading this thread. Here is another shot of the Nessus. It was taken in late evening with flash.
Rod (mate of 8)
Another great photo Rod!
fabulous shot. You don't get to see them very often
Awesome detail on that shot, Rod! I hope catbird is doing okay after her surgery. She's in my thoughts and prayers for a complete recovery!
Just a note about feeding bananas -
Last year when I went to the Butterfly Festival at U of Fl one of the field trips was to a working butterfly farm - Shady Oak. The owner had multiple suet feeders outside hanging from posts and poles and she filled them will overripe bananas. Also, inside the screen rooms where they raise the butterflies, besides plants, they had more of the bananas and oranges and various fruits hanging. Here is a picture I took that day:
Terrie
Terrie - Oh! What a great idea! I have a suet feeder that never got any action from the birds. Maybe I need to try it for the butterflies! I am seriously thinking of adding another 4" X 4" post to another area of my yard just for feeding the butterflies! :-)
Becky,
I would have never thought of that, either. Going on that field trip was sooooo interesting. And I learned soooo much. They showed us step-by-step how they raise and ship the butterflies. Man, would I love to have had their place. Of course, I wouldn't be able to sell them!
8*D
Becky, Catbird is up and around. Hasn't had her post-surgery check-up but dosn't seem to be anything to worry about. Only problem is the pain killers keep her too sleepy. Thanks for the prayers and concern.
Attached is a photo taken this morning. The little fellow has taken quite a liking to me. Has landed on my head several times in the past. Today I put my hand up to the top of my head and it hopped on. Took a couple of shots then it hopped on my camera. Then back to my hand and finally over to a nearby butterfly bush. It has taken up residence at my back yard gate.
I have searched all of my books and the closest I can come to an ID is "female Clouded Skipper". It is plain on the underside.
Rod
Rod,
That is so cool! Awesome picture of the little Skipper. I see alot of them in my yard, but they never land on me. How much fun that must be.
Terrie
Awwww ..... so shall we call you the "Butterfly Whisperer", Rod? LOL!
That's really neat!!! Glad to hear your better half is doing well since her surgery. :-)
Becky, I don't know what it is between me and butterflies. This is far from the first time I have had one pose on my hand or arm.
Attached is another shot - not clear in the face but it is all about the wings. Looks like a super jet fighter.
I am hopeful to start a thread introducing my own ID. Hang up with Dave's Garden due to same email address with Catbird8. With luck we can clear it up and I will ID as Catbirds_Rod. Or, maybe Rod_mateof8 :-)
BTW - I have confirmed that my bug is a female Clouded Skipper.
Rod
Well, it seems I still have the touch. Decided to try it out today on a pair of mating Texan Crescents. Took a couple of shots first, then extended my hand. Picture below. Also today I got a picture of a male Gray Hairstreak, the first one I have seen. He hopped on my hand, then hopped off before I could get a shot. Also confirmed that I have a picture of a male Great Pondhawk. Posted in the the bugfiles, as Dave's did not have one up to now.
Rod - Butterfly Whisperer
Sadly, nobody's landed on me yet. But I did get these pictures today. Hope you won't mind if I post one or two? We call them hummingbird moths.
Jan
There were three of them today while I was out there. I do love my butterfly bushes and am just beginning to learn about their visitors.
tangiegirl, nice picture of your moth. We love to look at pictures, so join in any time. : )
Rod,....what soap do you bath with? Tutti Fruiti ? LOL They sure seem to like you. : )
Great pictures.
~Lucy
Gosh, tangiegirl, I didn't realize the hummingbird moth had see-through wings until I noticed it in your picture! Good shot too!
That's amazing how the butterflies land on Rod's hand, and do the mating dance too! LOL
I'm just a sweet, loveable old Great Grand-father who happens to love God's beautiful creatures.
Rod
Ahh. But they love you back, too, Rod!
Thank you Lucy and Cordeledawg. I'm always a bit hesitant when deciding to post on a new thread. So the offer to join in is appreciated.
Jan
Love is in the air, at our place. This is the 4th shot this year of mating butterflies. In this case, the ubiquitous monarch, of which we had 2 go into chrysalis stage yesterday, had a Giant ST decorating my kumquat bush with eggs and a Spice Bush ST doing the same on our spice bush.
Monarch shot attached.
Rod
