So one of zebra swallowtail cats is up to some bizarre behavior, but I have a theory on what he's doing. When he's finished I'll post some of the millions of pictures I've been taking. How's that for a tease?
In other news, Mom released the ZST that emerged yesterday. She said it fed on the plumbagos a bit before flying off so that made me happy. The Gulf Frit cats are still wandering around the bf house eating. I have two that are pretty big and today they were in the same spot they were yesterday so I'm hoping to see some "J"s very soon.
Question - I had assumed that the cats made their silk from their rear ends but I've been reading and apparently the spinneret is under the mouth? Can someone confirm this? I had kind of thought that might be the case but I wasn't sure.
Three day weekend! More time to garden! With us going back to eastern standard time I don't get to see my bf friends when I get home from work. Although I did see a crazy brown skipper flying around my side yard today. Maybe I should follow Becky's example and wander around with my flashlight! I mentioned in another thread how I learned to go spider-hunting as a Girl Scout (their eyes glow like jewels when you shine a light on them). I think it's time to take up that hobby again.
Melanie
DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 23
Ok folks, here it is. When I got home yesterday my ZST cat was bent in an unbelieveable fashion. At first I thought he was dead, but he's still alive and reacts when I poke him with a leaf. I couldn't imagine why he would be like that. He's already purged so I got excited and thought maybe it had something to do with him making a sling. But this morning he's still like that and is in the same place I left him. Has anyone else seen this kind of behavior? I won't be home this morning (going to volunteer to clean up a park) but I'll let you know how he is when I get home.
Well there ya go Becky.. It just shows to go ya!! If ya plant it they will come. I'm thrilled to see you have a hummie!
Meanwhile, you got a lot of things done to your yard this Summer. The observation deck, etc. I think you will be pretty busy from here out, and you might get some more hummers too, bc they leave their smell where they go. Other hummers usually follow.
Cool Mellie~ When the cats are placed on a new spot they bob their head back and forth. Also when they are about to morph. The spinneret under their mouth is dispensing silk and making a pad for the cat to stick to. They really start doing this when they are ready to sling themselves in to pupate.
I can see the silken haze all over the surface of the cage there. I think your cat is alright. Looks huge and healthy from here.
debnes
Ok guys, this is what he's looked like since last night. He hasn't moved, and he's still bent all funny, but he does react if I touch him.
So today I went across Tampa Bay into Pinellas county to volunteer to clean up and pull invasive plants out of a park. Of course, I brought the camera with me to do a little butterfly hunting! There were the usual tiny sulphurs.
Then there were these skippers all over the Spanish Needles. I thought this one had more of a greenish hue on top than all the other ones I've seen.
We were right on the bay. Take that Northerners! LOL!
What really surprised me though was that I saw Monarchs flying around!
I came back home and this sulphur was flying around the yard.
The fritillaries were enjoying the plumbagos and the porterweed. I also saw a White Peacock and a Long-Tailed Skipper but couldn't get a good photo. Oh, and a swallowtail that looked a lot like a Polydamas flew by me (very fast).
And since I've been ignoring the GF cats, here's a pic. The big one I've been trying to convince to pupate and the little one is the guy I found while I was out picking food the other day.
Mellie, you mentioned plumbago, which reminded me that I need to put it on my plant list for next year's gardens. Is there any one variety that you find butterflies are more attracted to?
thea - I have the blue blooming plumbago and get the Cassius Blue butterflies. (I believe it is their host plant.) I have seeds I can share or if you are in the group seed swap, I can add some to your envie. I don't know how fast it grows from seed, but once it takes off .... Look out! LMK.
Thea, I think they only sell the one variety around here. It's also called Cape Leadwort. You can buy it here at any Home Depot or Lowe's. There's actually a native white flowering plumbago, but everyone here has the blue kind. And yes it is a host plant for the Cassius Blues and they are always on it. I've never grown it from seed but once it's a plant, Becky is right - watch out! It's not invasive but it does get big and likes to spread. You can prune it at any time and it will flower again very soon. Dad likes that about it. There's a lady in my neighborhood who has it growing up the trunk of a tree which looks really cool.
Where is everyone? Well, here's my latest. The green ZST cat died. After he purged he never did build a sling or try to go into his chrysalis. I wish I knew why...in happier news, one of my Gulf Frits is hanging in his J position (finally). I went hiking today so I could forage for food, and naturally I brought home a few more ZST cats. I saw lots of butterflies too. Let the pictures begin! Here's a duskywing. Haven't seen them in my yard in a while...
This little skipper was also enjoying the lantana.
I hopped a fence to get a picture of this White Peacock. Melanie knows no bounds! Isn't it cool how I got his shadow, too?
This ZST has been through a lot!
Of course, the Gulf Frits were enjoying the lantana, too. I was glad to see it was blooming again. Last time I went in that area it was looking pretty worn out.
Not a butterfly, but I thought this was spider was too weird to pass up.
Some of the pawpaws have started blooming. I found a few petals on the ground so I brought them home to see if the cats would eat them. By the way, pawpaw flowers smell really nice; I never noticed before.
Sneaking up on a sulphur...
Ok folks, here's where I have a question. I was scouring the pawpaws for cats when I saw a leaf that was rolled up. ZST cats normally don't do that, but I peeked in and saw a head. But when I unrolled it I saw this. It reminded me of the Long-Tailed Skipper cats some of you have posted, but I wasn't sure. And what is the white fluffy stuff behind him?
Here's another sulphur - once again on lantana (are you sensing a theme here).
And one more Frit on the way out. And look - he's NOT on lantana! I also saw a couple of Buckeyes and many Long-Tailed Skippers today. I found a new gopher-tortoise hole, too. I hope you enjoyed the show; I'll try to keep all the Northerners going through the winter! : )
Melanie
Melanie, in that one picture where you ask, what is the white fluffy stuff behind him, it looks like parasite cocoons from a wasp or something. They feed off the cat and it dies. : (
At least that is what it looks like to me.
~Lucy
This message was edited Nov 11, 2007 2:20 PM
Lucy,
I kind of had that feeling but I had never seen them in person before. My first reaction was to throw it down on the ground but I thought it might be a good educational opportunity for everyone on here. I'm so glad my cats are safe in their little home.
Oh, and the ZST cats DO eat the pawpaw flower petals. One cat in particular seemed to be enjoying them very much.
Melanie
Oops, double post.... :-
This message was edited Nov 11, 2007 7:24 PM
mellie, keep up the great photo sessions and the enthusiam!!
I have Lantana along my driveway and it has been abuzz all summer with bf's ........ it is taking a beating right now though as the deer are eating the tender chutes :o( and yes it is supposed to be deer resistant.
james t
Nice array of pics today Mellie!
Like Suzy, I believe the white fuzz on the skipper cat are parasitic wasp cocoons. I have seen these on several occasions here in my garden. We do need to know the enemies for sure.
You might post that one on Cats predator thread too..
debnes
Thanks everyone! I didn't know deer would eat lantana. Wow! Lantana is kind of a weed around here; I always find it odd that people actually buy it. I live on a corner and there's some that grows down by the road. I leave it alone since I know the butterflies like it, but I don't want it in my yard.
Parasitic wasps - ewww! I still find it odd that I found that caterpillar on a pawpaw. Did you guys think it was a Long-Tailed Skipper cat or maybe something else? It's so tough to be a caterpillar.
Melanie
Mellie...
Lantana grows wild out at the ranch too. Mostly along the barbed wire fences. Guess the birds eat the seeds and poop 'em out...and they sprout where they fall. The butterflies enjoy it too.
I have a few in my yard. I have kept several in pots and keep them trimmed down but the other two that I planted in the ground have grown rampant. Both are over six feet tall and the branches span about 8 feet. I like the height as the blooms above my fence line attract butterflies to my yard :o)
Am thinking after winter passes I will prune them into small trees. I've seen several of the local nurseries do that. They usually leave one main stalk or at times they leave three and braid them together to make the plant look like a small topiary :o) They do that all the time with hibicus too.
That caterpillar looks looks too chubby to be a moth cat...so am leaning towards some kind of skipper cat...but don't recall any skippers that eat paw paw. Then again, we don't get paw paws down here so I haven't researched it either :o)
~ Cat
Went outside to check the yard before work and found a Mexican Bluewing feeding on butterfly bait. It was great to see this butterfly in my yard :o) Talk about camouflage!!!
~ Cat
Here is a view of it perched on duranta leaves sunning itself. The flash of brilliant blue coloring when it opens its wings it awesome.
~ Cat
Ah...and here are two Brazilian Skipper cats wandering around on a canna leaf looking for a place to make a leaf nest. It doesn't seem like winter yet. Our weather today is about ten degrees higher than average. Mid to upper 80's...great for butterflying!!!
~ Cat
I love that Mexican Blue, very different from the ones I had this summer by me. Next years goals are to lure those different looking ones to my house. :)
I thought that this outside chrysalis was taking an awfully long time to eclose, I thought maybe because it had gotten a few very cold nights. After feeling in and realizing it was so soft it popped right open revealing the problem. I dont know what kind of predator got it but this is what it looked like. CAUTION; GROSS PICTURE!
Chris,
If I'm not mistaking; those are wasp's larvaes (sp). Poor bf never has a chance.
Oh my! That is disgusting! I have so many wasps in my yard. I will be checking the chrysalises around my yard. I am seeing a number of Sulphur and Monarch chrysalises in odd places. I hope you stomped them! Eek!
Wow Puddy, that Bluewing is a pretty guy!!! And your butterfly fruit salad looks like it would be so inviting, is it just cut up fruit, or do you pour some kind of brew over it as well?
Melanie, I would love to see one of those White Peacocks! What a nice photo, as yours always are.
Could anyone tell me, if some of the skippers are small butterflies? I was out in the garden with a green shirt on, one landed on me and came inside, I chased it down...it landed on my kitchen light, so I picked it up and sent it back outdoor. It's no more than the size of my thump. Or was it a moth?
What kind of butterfly would this plumbago be a host plant of? Have you a pic. to share?
edit to correct my spelling. (blushed).
This message was edited Nov 12, 2007 1:37 PM
