Oh boy! Chris I think ya stumped me,... If you can, I would like to see the face on that cat. From here it doesn't look like a TST or a RSP.. Off hand I would vaguely guess it is one of the fancy large moths... (Very cool, even if it's not a butterfly, though it could be a butterfly I'm not very familiar with yet.) For now I would say, raise it in a cage and keep feeding it fresh cherry leaves until it morphs. Take some more shots of it from different angles. Have you tried putting a magnifying glass up to the lense of your camera to focus in more detail?
It looks a little/kinda/sorta like the frekle faced cat Donna raises, but I can't see the face. Her's was on Oak, but some moths like that use several different host plants.
If it is we will need to investigate the conditions required for it to pupate, so you are right about forseeing that aspect.
You might post it in the Bug ID forum. There are some great diggers over there who are very helpful.
:-D
DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 14
Glad I can be of service. I have my own bf envy, but I remind myself to be thankful for the ones I have. I'll keep everyone updated with pictures of course! While I was sitting here watching the Polydamas cats in my critter keeper, the eggs decided to hatch. I think I have 6 or 7 eggs, and so far three are loose. I can see the heads on the other ones so I'm just sitting here watching and waiting. : )
Melanie
I've got a real basic question here. I had a female tiger swallowtail land on my curly parsley. When they ovipost, do they usually keep their wings spread out wide? It looked like she was "resting" on the parsley for a bit, and then she flitted off to a butterfly bush.
I've only seen ZLWs and Gulf Frits lay eggs, and they do it upside-down so it really stands out. I didn't think parsley was a host plant for the TST.
Here's my ZLW babies. I know I have a Gulf Frit or two in there too, but at this point I can't tell them apart.
Here's an interesting picture to show the scale of these cats. The one on the left is almost ready to be a bf. The one on the right is somewhere in the middle. And of course, you can see the little guys hatching out of the eggs behind the one on the right.
Here's a closeup of the cat and the eggs hatching behind him.
I stand corrected. I think it was a female black swallowtail that was "resting" on the parsley.... http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=1356
Ya done good Mellie! I can see the cats hatching in the last pic..(debnes is visually challenged, lol). Your right about the ZLW hatchlings, kinda hard to tell them from frits at that stage, but I do think they are ZLW. They are a lighter color, more golden, and in later instars will turn more white with black dottie spines.
Lily, There ya go!! Those butterflies are so smart, (built in intelligence). This is actually one of the ways we ID a lot of times, by seeing the plant they oviposit on. Some of the Swallowtails mimick each other so well.
All I had to release today were 3 Gulf Fritillaries, and all were stunning. The last one had just come out, so I took it out of the cage to sit on my finger while drying a bit. At which time she releases the blood and water.... Right on my hand.
Tip and mental *note to self*: When taking a butterfly out to hold that you might want to photograph, be sure to put it in the hand you do not use for holding the camera..LOL.
Deb~ Way to go!! 22 Monarchs released!! Whistles and claps!
Here is the new page when y'all are done here.. :-)
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/763045/
Debamatic
Okay, here's a SBST chrysalis that I had to move, so I took a pic before I put it up in a cage.
Oh, and here's a cat that was getting pretty close to pupating time...they turn yellow. Afterward, I put this one in a cage and it's now attaching, so it's ready.
Adorable Linda!
Thank you for posting ~ glad they had enough SB! Did you get my dmail?
:-)
Hi Deb,
Thank you for the positive feedback and identification on the TSTs. Sorry for the late reply, been on vacation for a week and I had a chance to visit the Butterfly Conservatory at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD. I had 6 Asian paper kite butterflies all over me on Sunday. It was wonderful. They took up residence on my shoulders and in my hair and they wouldn't leave. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pics. Oh, and the monarchs are slowly making their way to my garden, but I my little milkweed plants are blooming yet. I think I will have better luck next year with host plants.
Hi Crystall,
Sounds like you had a wonderful visit with the Asian Kites wow! The Monarchs still might stop and lay eggs, you might be surprised. There are still several weeks to go and migration will begin pouring through there. Some I know had them into September, here in October even. Keep watching, :-) Who knows?
;-)
Deb
Deb,
That is very encouraging news. We've had an extremely hot dry summer in Maryland. My transplanted milkweed hasn't bloomed yet; but my butterfly weed developed two pods over the weekend!! Woo hoo! I am also beginning to see a few more monarchs in my area. Who knows, maybe I will get a few cats after all??