L@@K what was in my greenhouse this am. Can't imagine why. There's no host plants for it.According my book,host plants are ornamental citrus,torchwood,wild lime,hopetree and other citrus family.
Boy,what I wouldn't give to find eggs and cats for this beauty!!!
P
That is so cool! SO COOL! He looks absolutely JUMBO!
Suzy
So this is a boy?How call I tell male from female? Yes,it was BIG!
P
LOL! BigRed, I don't know squat about butterflies -- I just used the term "he" as a general pronoun. Wait just a bit and the experts will be here, I just wanted to say WOW! "He's" gorgeous.
Suzy
LOL! OK,I think everything bright and beautiful should be female...LOL
P
Well, tell me WHAT is he, the suspense is killing me!
I'll take a guess, Giant Swallowtail?? I wish I had them fluttering around here. I'm growing a hoptree in hopes something big comes along. LOL
For Giants you can't tell the sex without close examination of the abdomen posterior. Males have claspers to hold the female. Attached is a photo that I have posted elsewhere that can help - it is even a bit confusing as one has bright yellow where the other looks almost white. The male is at the top, as most if not all mating butterflies require that the male carry the load :-).
Rod
Here's another photo of Giant Swallowtails mating. They use native prickly lime ash (colima) at the ranch as well as a variety of citrus trees (tangerine, orange, lime and grapefruit). On rare occasions they have used rue too...but I just seem to find most caterpillars or eggs on the citrus trees.
~ Cat
I have currently been seeing a female laying eggs on my Hercules Club and my Wild Lime bushes. (Both of these fast growing shrubs/trees are GST host plants!)
Congratulations Becky! Are you going to raise them in a cage?
I have a couple that are 1st or 2nd instar in a cage. I will wait to see if the eggs make it or not. I don't have much luck collecting eggs. The plant dies too quickly and the newborn cats just don't survive for me that way. But the two I collected look to be in good health. (Unlike the poor Sulphurs I have been collecting. Something is infecting every one that I find. I think they were sick before I find them as I am very careful NOT to expose them to anything harmful. Too many predators in my yard! Grrrr........)
Well,that's it...I have Hercules Club.
P
