CLOSED: What plant will Swallowtail cats. need to survive indoor?

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Lily_love Central, AL(Zone 7b) Sep 24, 2007

I came back inside from tending my garden this morning, and found one of the colorful cat. has hitched a ride on my clothing. First impulse was ...well I jump because I found its soft wiggling body on my finger first before I knew what I have just touched.

Anyhow, I've seen this beauty in Cacoon before and would love to see more. Outdoor, I've lost so many of them to birds as they were getting ready to get to a cacoon phase. So I stopped and ask this question, will it eat my indoor Euphobia and survives there?

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Lily_love Central, AL(Zone 7b) Sep 24, 2007

Another pic.

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Lily_love Central, AL(Zone 7b) Sep 24, 2007

One more...

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fly_girl The Woodlands, TX(Zone 8b) Sep 24, 2007

Lily, I can't tell what Swallowtail that is, but they are particular about what host they will eat. Can you get a clearer picture or do you know what cat it is?

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Lily_love Central, AL(Zone 7b) Sep 24, 2007

I've seen these eating on my milkweeds before...but the exact I.D. I've no clue though. Here are more of them I found previously.

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Lily_love Central, AL(Zone 7b) Sep 24, 2007

This was one that tried to 'hypernate' uncuccessfully. It was found by birds....

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Lily_love Central, AL(Zone 7b) Sep 24, 2007

At another angle, the same cat. that didn't make it a day. :(

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fly_girl The Woodlands, TX(Zone 8b) Sep 24, 2007

Those are Monarch cats and they feed on Milkweed. You can raise them inside, there is a sticky on the Butterfly and Hummingbird forum that will give you ideas on how to do it.

And...there are lots of helpful people over there willing to answer any questions.

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Lily_love Central, AL(Zone 7b) Sep 24, 2007

In year past when one was successful, it looks just like a jewery adorning the scotchbroom branch that it made its home.

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fly_girl The Woodlands, TX(Zone 8b) Sep 24, 2007

Many don't make it due to all the predators out there. The chrysalis is beautiful.

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Lily_love Central, AL(Zone 7b) Sep 24, 2007

Thank you, I'm heading over there now. :-)

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fly_girl The Woodlands, TX(Zone 8b) Sep 24, 2007

Lily, FYI...the sticky is for info on raising cats, to start a thread for discussion, open one up under the sticky. That way, others can help you out :)

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Lily_love Central, AL(Zone 7b) Sep 24, 2007

Thank you, I'll post one.

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DBartholow Mechanicsville, MD Jun 14, 2008

They will also eat fennel, dill and parsley.

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Lily_love Central, AL(Zone 7b) Jun 14, 2008

Thanks DB, I've both Fennel and parsley, I'm hoping to see more of those this year. I've oddle of the milkweeds, so far I've been searching but haven't seen any cats.

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