Holy Cow! I saw this little beauty today and followed her over to my wild Plumbago... I found eggs! And a lil cat! I could barely contain myself. My pup knew I was so excited and she raced around me as I took my "booty" inside!
Here's mama...
Yee Haw! A Cassius Blue!
and the eggs...
and the Lil cat...see him? right in the middle. Cool, huh? It's tiny, smaller than a pencil lead.
Ha! Love it when my hard work pays off!
Adrienne
Adrienne, how cool! What kind of magnifying glass did you have to use to find that? I see the butterflies on my plumbagos pretty much every day, but I always figured the eggs and cats were so small I'd never find them. Now, I'm tempted to try again. And since the weather's supposed to be nice this weekend I just might!
Melanie
Adrienne, he's so pretty! I can't believe you found the eggs either!
Great pics too!
Awesome photos, Adrienne!!! I am glad you posted a photo of the cat. I have seen them on my Plumbago, but wasn't sure what it was. Now I know that it's a cat ... thanks to your amazing photos! :-)
WOW!!! Congrats Adrienne!!! Am so happy for you!!! You're going to have lots of fun raising those tiny blues :o) You'd be surprised how camouflaged those cats can get when you're looking for them....and they are sooooo tiny!!!
The chrysalids will be equally small and so easily overlooked. They are the size of a grain of rice...also camouflaged to blend in with a green or brown leaf :o)
Glad you were able to get photos of the eggs...those are just about microscopic! I once watched a Ceraunus Blue laying eggs but she'd tuck her booty down into the leaf crotch or into the sepals around a budding flower and I could never see them.
Woohoo!!! Am doing the happy dance for ya!!! Do keep us posted!!!
Oh...were these laid on the plumbago that blooms blue or white?
~ Cat
Adrienne, please 'do tell' first what kind of plumbago, second what type of camera that can capture pics with such clarity of small subjects. I'm tempted to write to Santa for a new better camera. :-)
Kim
Even in the picture I thought the cat was part of the plant and I was about to ask where's the caterpillar? I checked my plumbago just a little today and found one egg! And that was the side of the house with less action (they seem to prefer the sunnier side). Mine are the blue plumbagos by the way. It's like a law in Tampa that you have to use them in your landscaping, LOL!
Thanks all!
They've laid eggs on the trailing white Plumbago, Cat. I had the Blue but it's so huge that the thought of finding the cats was really overwhelming!
Kim- I use a Canon EOS Rebel digital camera. I'm using a really great Macro lens which is made by Tamron. It says Tamron SP Di 90mm 1:2.8 MACRO 1:1 but I just set it on the tripod and use the autofocus.
I thought my little Cat was dead but he's moving again. I'm not sure what part of the plant it's eating, though. I'll keep you posted.
Adrienne
Adrienne; I've a second G.F. to eclose this evening, but my Kodak easy share can only give me this blurrriesssss after dark. sob, sob.
Thanks for the info. I'm gonna get a better camera this Christmas. :-)
I'm one of those crazies that was in line outside Best Buy last year at 3 in the morning for Black Friday. But I got my camera! There are lots of good deals out there now, and I'm sure we'll see more as Christmas gets closer. Congrats on your Gulf Frits! I should have two later this week; I'm hoping they wait until I'm off work for the holidays.
Melanie
Mellie, this one is still drying out its wings. I let it onto my Roses outdoor, luckily the weather is till mild yet. Thank you.
Kim
Congrats again Adrienne :o)
Keep us posted on their growth.
~ Cat
Well, my baby cat is growing. I found another lil guy in the Garden and he has more of the pink or red coloring that you had talked about ,Cat. No progress on the eggs. They've gotton a wee bit darker in color but thats it.
Here's a pic of the lil guys coloring...
and then here's the 2 of them together. You can see how the one on the bottom is way bigger.
Hee,hee :)
Adrienne
Oh wow! Nice setting and background to highlight your babies. :-)
Beautiful photography!!
Thanks for sharing,
Chuck
Wow Adrienne, those shots are amazing! The cats really blend in with the plant!
Well! A crysalis!! Sure is little. I'm guessing that these guys drop down to the leaf litter to pupate as I had to search for this guy and his "friend" keeps vanishing! Here's a pic next to a sharpened pencil-unreal!
Adrienne
......and a close up. It looks to me like some kind of bean but my Gardening Partner in Crime says it looks like a puppy.
Thoughts?
Adrienne
This message was edited Nov 27, 2007 7:49 PM
oops! Here it is
Great photo!!! I took a photo of several Ceraunus Blues around a dime - they are so tiny!!! Try putting a grain of rice next to it...sort of like a white pillow for the sleeping baby :o) ROLF!
It really is amazing how quickly you can lose track of those tiny chrysalids. I always had to check the cuttings and leaf debris several times before I tossed the old leaves out when I was still feeding other cats.
Oh...and don't leave the chrysalis inside the same cage if you are still raising cats. I was raising Mallow Scrub Hairstreaks and a caterpillar cannibalized a freshly formed chrysalis! UGH!!!
Live and learn...
~ Cat
Thanks for the info Cat!
A
Way cool Adrienne! Good documentation girl!
:-)
That first picture is just awesome!! I absolutely adore that little mama! I had no idea that Plumbago's were a host, or if we get those blues here, but I'm gonna go out and check mine tomorrow just for the fun of it!
14 days on the dot!! This little beauty was quite calm and sat on my nephew's finger!
Adrienne
3 more to go....
Awesome Adrienne!! What a precious little butterfly!!! You go girl!
Great thread!! I will be using it as a reference. :-) TY
debnes
Awww! Awesome photos! Those cats and butterflies are so darn itty and cute!!!
This message was edited Dec 9, 2007 8:45 PM
Congrats!!! That tiny blue is a cutie!!!
~ Cat
Thank You Ladies! Your input and encouragement are priceless!
A