Okay guys, here we go.
I have had some cats on my passion vine for about four days now, one really small the other two pretty good size. Well I bought one of those socks from Live Monarch that you put over a limb or branch or whatever to keep out the predators. I put those in the sock. Checked today and they are getting to be a pretty good size so I looked for more and found three more little ones. I placed them on the leaves with the other two and placed them back in the sock. That thing works great. They do not seem to mind being in there at all and it keeps everything out. I will keep an eye on them and if I see any distress at all I am bringing them in.
Then yesterday my brother-in-law said he saw a black BF flitting around my dill. I thought I had seen eggs on it before but they stayed there for a long time so I just gave up and thought they were something else. Today I went out and found three baby cats. So I brought those in, put them in my Live Monarch cage. I just decided they were coming in. So These are my first baby cats and I have two sets of different ones. Just want everyone to know that I will be on here asking questions and praying I do the right thing.
And Thea, I expect you to be there for me because this stuff is very fresh in your mind. So right now I have about five Gulf Frits in a sock and three Swallowtails in a cage. So far so good. I just hope and pray I don't run out of passion vine. Mine is not very big but they do not seem to be eating all that much, yet. The dill I know I can get at the store but the passion vine, once it is gone it is gone. So bear with me all you experts because I know I will be frantic and needing some great advice. And I could not find a better place to get it.
Okay, I'm done.
Thanks so much.
Leslie
Two sets of cats going.
You're not done, girl friend, you're just getting started! I'm so proud for you to finally get some cats to baby! Having bf cats is like a lot of pets, you have to check on them every day. Doing the happy dance for you, Leslie!
Deborah
Thanks Deborah. I was doing the semi-happy, semi-terrified dance. But I was really excited when I saw those worms. The last ones I let get away and I really feared what happened to them because I don't know. I even saved one that was on dill at Wal-Mart, brought him home and placed him on my dill. He ate for a day or two and was gone. Don't know what happened to him. These I am going to know what happens to. And I guess I better check the dill daily for more babies if they are anything like the passion vine. I find new ones every day. I am really excited and hope I am not a total failure at this because it would break my heart.
Thanks for all of the encouragement Deborah and everyone.
Leslie
Good job Leslie!
I found some BSTs at a local nursery and put all 8 of them on one pitiful Dill plant that I bought..it was in a 3" pot and very scraggly...and they didn't charge extra for the cats LOL
You'll be fine, there's so many people that can help you out when you get nervous or anxious....just remember they have a much better chance of becoming a butterfly thanks to you and your efforts! That's a big deal!
Hey flygirl. Thanks. So I am not the only one stealing cats from nurseries? Thank goodness. I really was a little worried the whole time because I know they have cameras all over the place and I did actually take a limp, horrible looking piece of dill with the cat of course. I thought if I go to jail over stealing a limp piece of dill and one caterpillar boy am I going to get laughed at and I hope the bail is not too high.
Thanks for the encouragement. I am excited and like Thea will be glad if/when they all come out okay. Then next time I won't have any apprehension at all. I will feel like I am competent enough to do it.
Leslie
I think most nurseries don't want the cats on their plants, especially if their clients are buying the plants to cook with. One time I saw a chef...he even had the big hat on, looking at the herbs....I'm pretty sure he didn't want cats on them. So, we're just doing them a favor!
If you go to jail, we'll stir up the bond money and bail you out! lol
Whew. That is a relief flygirl. Thanks so much. I just was not looking forward to spending a night in jail for catnapping. LOL.
Leslie
Even if I was a chef...who goes to the garden center with the hat on? Did he have the moustache too? (I'm picturing the Muppet chef in my head for some reason., LOL.) This thread has been really funny. And I like the idea of those butterfly socks, might have to check those out.
Melanie
Those socks are great Melanie. Funny thing is I put one over my dill not long ago because I thought I saw an egg. It stayed on there for like two weeks and nothing so I guess that was a false alarm. But they have worked great on the passion vine. That way the plant does not get limp from cutting it and they seem happy as a lark.
I came in to report when I was on my morning walk through the garden I was going to check on the babies in the sock and there was a gulf frit litting all over my vine. I was like "NO!!! I cannot handle any more babies right now". She did not care. She is still out there depositing eggs all over the place. She was a beauty. And of course I cannot complain because all I was wishing for was BF's in my yard and maybe a few babies. But I mean really. It looked like she was even depositing some on my chain link fence. Is that normal? So ten minutes later I look out and she is still out there. I think I am in trouble because I really do not have that big of a vine. I don't think I am capable of feeding a lot of cats. What do I do? HELP!!!!!.
Leslie
Send them to me! I have tons of Passion vines and no butterflies! jk. LOL!
Seriously though, the females laid eggs all over the place on and near my PV last year. On the fence, on other plants next to it, wherever! LOL! Maybe they are blind butterflies or in such a hurry they are not paying attention to what they are laying their babies on. LOL!
I remember that Becky when you were telling us...is it hard for the females to find passies?
Send me some too Leslie, the GFs have not found my passies yet Ö
The chef didn't have a moustache but he did have the white outfit on....I think he wanted everyone to know his restaurant buys fresh herbs...oh, and he had his name tag on too.
HA, I loved the Muppet Show, wish they would show reruns.
Seriously Becky. I saw what looked like her laying eggs on the fence and when I went out there she had put three eggs on my chain link fence. Is that not bizarre? Will they open there and find the vine themselves I wonder. She did seem to have trouble stopping in one place. Twice I saw what looked like her laying eggs on the sock I have over the plant holding in the other babies. Just crazy. She was out there most of the day so I am a little worried. So far I have 7 in my sock and no telling how many she laid today. Will keep you posted. I am so sorry I have no pics, I just don't have the set up for that yet.
Leslie
Leslie - The baby cats should find their host plant if it isn't too far away from where they were laid.
I bred Monarchs in captivity one time and the crazy female not only laid eggs all over the Milkweed I stuck in the cage for her, but also all over the mesh cage! There were eggs EVERYWHERE! I think they get into a frantic egg-laying frenzy and just can't stop! LOL!
I've seen eggs on my wooden fence from a Gulf Frit and they seemed to find the vine just fine. As long as they are near they should figure out what to do.
Good news. And Becky, that is the way this girl was. I have eggs on my chain link fence, eggs on my sock holding the cats, but I don't find any eggs on the plant itself. That is the funny part. She was just going crazy bless her heart. I think she just wanted them OUT!!!.
So I feel better if they can find the plant once they hatch.
Leslie