Dear Debnes and Cat,
I just got off the phone with my oldest son in San Francisco. He has told me that Santa just might get me the book (Kaufman Focus Guides, Butterflies of North America) for Christmas...LOL.
Thanks to both of you and all others who have helped me learn over the years about butterflies, moths and hummingbirds.
Thanks again,
Chuck
DAILY Butterflies Page 25
I have been looking at the books also. Is there a difference in the one that is called "Kauffman Field Guide" and the one called "Kaufman Focus Guide"? The "Focus guide" in the picture above has the yellow tiger swallowtail cover, the "Field Guide" has what look to me like a red admiral cover.
The copyright on the Focus guide says 2003 the Field Guide does not tell me (both are on amazon).
Does anyone know if it is a newer or older version?
I think I want the hardcover and only see it in the Focus.
chris
Found this little guy tonight as I was watering. Picked it up off the pine needles and it crawled right onto my hand.
I brought it to a penta, thinking maybe it would want some nectar, but it didn't want to leave (maybe the warmth of my hand?).
Here's another
And another, poor little guy is missing an antenna!
DH wanted to hold him/her too!
Saying goodbye...
Nestled in an Ixora for bedtime. I checked about an hour later, and the little guy was still there. I think it's a Monarch, but it seemed so small, I'm not sure??
Cathy
Oh how sweet is that! It has been quite warm here the last few days. And I got a glimple of some sulphers and G.F. in my garden, but I wasn't quick enough to capture any pic. But the sight of them was enough to cheer me up.
Thanks Cath. for sharing those pics.
Kim
Cath. if it's a monarch, do you have any butterfly weeds there in the garden? I'd bet you do. :-)
Hi Kim, yup we have lots of mw, I just harvested some more seeds tonight. I saw a lone caterpillar a few weeks ago, so maybe this is the one! I try to follow them, but sometimes they don't follow my instructions to stay put! I guess I may look into getting a little cat house after Christmas.
The 5 Polydamas cats I was watching all disappeared, hopefully by their choice, they were big and fat, so I'm crossing my fingers l'll see some new babies here soon. There's a large stand of bananas right next to where they were, so I'm hoping they made it there.
Cathy
Cathy,
He looks like he had just eclosed, and maybe hanging out in wait of a female.
The 2 prominent dots on the lower dorsal wing are the telling marks... They rely 100% on th antennae for their sense of smell. He is working at 50%, but still keen enough to be productive. That's their main purpose in life, to reproduce.
He is definitely in the right yard, :-) Please keep on sharing. I think we are officially finished with Monarchs this year.
The offspring of GF at the top of this thread have been taken to DD Val's house for her to look after.
debnes
Chris....
The one with the yellow tiger swallowtail on the cover was printed in 2003...and it is perfect for any butterflier.
The one with the red admiral was a reprint from 2006 that added eight more pages to include Rarities of the Mexican Border (20 other butterflies that are rare strays to the south Texas). I got a good deal on it at our butterfly festival and since Brock was there I had him sign it too.
There is truly no reason to purchase the 2006 version if you don't live in south Texas :o) Everything else in the book is exactly the same except for those 8 pages...which I believe there is a supplement online at bowerbooks but it only shows 5 butterflies...not all of the 20.
~ Cat
ps...we've had a good number of new US records this year...so am sure there will be another reprint in a couple of years to include all the new recorded species :o) ROLF!!!
This message was edited Dec 11, 2007 10:51 PM
Debnes, thanks for the positive ID. As soon as it gets light outside, I'll be checking on him. We have plenty of nectar flowers blooming right now, so he'll have a schmorgasbord!
I'm asking Santa for a bf ID book too!
Cathy
I am so glad to see everyone being fitted for a good butterfly ID book or 2! Thanks Cat for catching Chris' question... Sorry chris, I missed it gf! Is this team work or what? I'm with Cat though, the 2003 book is just as good for us up here.
We finally got the coldness says "39*, (feels like 32)" on my weather channel desktop. Finally going to have to dig out the long coat.
Thanks, I dont know how either one of you or even both manage to keep up with these threads. They move so fast and have such great pictures. I have been found myself planning on reading the days articles with my coffee and end up on a site ordering plants or books or calendar or t-shirts or tools. LOL. Somehow, I come to my senses, usually after an hour. Then I look down and see cold coffee, open wallet with recently used credit card sticking out, wondering what was I originally reading.
Have a great day all!
chris
Chris...too funny!!! I have trouble keeping up with the threads too :o) I have to go back and re-read everything from whence I last read to refresh my old noggin.
Chuck...for sure your Christmas will be merry!!! That book is a keeper!!!
Cathy...that monarch will be flying late - perhaps it will stick around if the winter is a mild one. We have numerous butterflies and hummies that stay here during the winter. Seems odd to think some butterflies fly to Mexico for the winter and others come from southern Mexico to northern Mexico and the tip of south Texas when the cold winds blow. We get the majority of our record breaking butterflies and rare sightings during the fall season.
~ Cat
By any chances anyone could name this pic. of a butterfly for me. I've this puzzle that was framed as a Christmas' home-warming gift several years ago. I would like to find out what butterfly this is. Thank you.
Kim
Hi Kim~ I am halfway there with knowing where it is from, Australia. A Ask Kennedyh he definitely will know.. I saw a pic of this one on Flickr, but it wasn't named.
debnes
Thanks Debnes, maybe somedays I'll learn its name. Maybe from future reading and research we'd come across it again. :-)
Kim
I had a newcomer in the yard today, its a tiny little guy. It seemed to like having it picture taken. It stayed quite still while I took a few from every angle.
Caren
The newcomver is indeed purdy!!! And the mw looks so beautiful at this late in the season. Nice job! Caren.
Kim
Am I right in thinking its a red banded hairstreak? Or just something simlar?
Looks like a Dusky-blue Groundstreak.
I just noticed our bugfiles doesn't have any photos...will have to add some...it is a frequent flier here.
http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabast/dbground.html
~ Cat
Thank you for the correction!
RUTROH...
Am still contemplating this one...just realized you're in LA...you do get DBGS there too...but the RBH is more common.
...however, the small line on the forewing and hindwing are supposed to be lined with red...can't quite see it on your hairstreak. That lack of colors led me to think DBGS....but the orange coloring and lack of color on the hindwing spots leads me to think perhaps it is a RBH...but then again the blue spot has all the red markings above and below the cap like a DBGS :o) ...and then again...the white postmediam line on the forewing should be lined with a thick red band - which I do not see - so again, I lean towards it being a DBGS :o)
Confused ya'll ey?! Oh well, am comfortable with calling it a DBGS...but don't hold me to that!!!!
Whatcha'll think? Here's a Dusky-Blue Groundstreak from south Texas.
~ Cat
This message was edited Dec 12, 2007 10:52 PM
Debnes, you made a remark about Cathy's Monarch, and I have a question. You said
The 2 prominent dots on the lower dorsal wing are the telling marks...
I take it you mean two black spots on the 3rd vein of the hindwing (according to my little book)? I don't see any spots or dots on the lower dorsal wing of Cathy's BF. What am I missing?
Martha
I'm missing it too! I couldn't find the spots either, figured I was looking in the wrong area. I wish Santa would hurry up and bring me an ID book. I may have to take matters into my own hands and hit Books A Million this weekend!
I've been looking for the one-antennaed Monarch, bit I haven't seen him back. When I went out yesterday morning, just before sunrise, he was already gone. I'll be watching!
Cathy
They gottcha Deb! It is a female and a great picture of her too!
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=4286047
You are usually so right on, I for one never question your comments girlfriend. Guess we are going to have to do our on thinking once in a while!
Wait a minute........was this a test.....???? LOL!!
Crikey Sheila... My eyes are blurring up.. I didn't open the pic actually. From the thumbnail it looked like it had the dots.. Sorry Cathy! It is a female Monarch.
That'll teach me not to rush.. :- Thx for catchin me Sheila! Yes it was a test........ for me, LOL!
Magnes was rushing me to get ready for the company party yesterday evening. Please y'all do your own thinking! I do spazzzz occasionally, so always double check me.
Glad you questioned it Martha!! :-) oops!
Looking at the DBGS RBH thing now... brb.
Yep Cat I think you got it.. Look at this pic y'all:
http://www.dallasbutterflies.com/Butterflies/html/cecrops.html
See the RBH has a thicker band of red...
Caterpillar hosts: Fallen leaves of wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera), dwarf sumac (Rhus copallina), staghorn sumac (R. typhina), and several oaks.
Here is the match DBGS match:
http://www.dallasbutterflies.com/Butterflies/html/isobeon.html
Caterpillar hosts: Dead leaves and fruits, and detritus, especially under trees in the cashew family (Anacardiaceae).
The BAMONA site does not have accurate distribution reports on many of these butterflies. I have hosted a couple not listed for Tarrant County on their site.
Always good to double check~ Not even sure about the caterpillar host info
Good call Cat!
Ooohh Ooohh! I think I see now, Debnes! This pic in PF shows the dots on a male- is that right?
http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/showimage/3287/
Now I'll be looking for her...
Shiela...now you see them dots ey?! :o) After a while you'll be able to spot them right away :o) Same goes for Queens, if you get those butterflies there too.
Deb...thanks for helping out with that DBGS id and all those extra links...that surely helps!!!
~ Cat
The thumbnail does make the Monarch look like a male, but when I opened it I went "huh"? Now that we're all clear on how to identify Monarchs...make sure you remember for when the Monarch tagging goes on next year! When you tag a Monarch one of the things they want you to record is if it male or female. I went to a lecture at my local preserve where we tagged three Monarchs and even the six year-old kids could figure out the gender. There were two kids and they each tagged a butterfly (I got to tag the third). Kids have tiny fingers which are great for sticking the tags on.
I haven't seen a hairstreak in months; I guess they're all out west. I haven't seen too many butterflies lately but that's because I've been cooped up inside. It hasn't rained in forever and my allergies are going crazy! Then, I was trimming the bougainvillea and scratched myself up - problem was, something must have gotten in the cuts because I had this horrible, itchy rash. Some hydrocortisone cream knocked it out. Funny story, one time I had a horrible, itchy rash on my wrist. Finally, I went to the doctor and she said it was a fungus and that it probably entered through small scratches in the skin. I nodded and said, "I like to garden". She replied, "I'll prescribe the big tube." Still have it, too! I tried it first this time before the hydrocortisone but I guess it wasn't the fungus. Between the bougainvillea and the bromeliads I always get scratches up and down my arms. I'm afraid one of these days people are going to think I have "problems".
We have a 40% chance of rain this weekend and temps are supposed to go down in the 40s! I'll probably go hiking and see if there are any butterflies when the temps warm up (to the upper 60s - woo hoo)! I miss my caterpillars but I'm doubtful I'll find any before spring. And since I know that the zebra longwings live at my neighbor's house, I'll try to get some of them on film, too.
Melanie
Thank you Sheila and Cat! (yw Cat :-))
Yes Cathy, we got it straight now. Dots are on the males.
All the office parties are over for now, and I am returning to my old self, LOL!
Here is a pic of a male Monarch from August:
Mel~ Funny story about the rash. I hear ya with the big tube.
Let us know what you see on your hike!
debnes
Melanie - That's interesting that you aren't seeing many butterflies at this time. I have tons of them in my yard, but haven't been home enough to photograph them. My last hand-raised Monarch just eclosed today. I will set it free tomorrow. I also found a newly formed Monarch chrysalis on the side of one of my container ponds. LOL! I have Milkweed in about every garden bed now. I sprinkled seeds around during the summer and have lots of MW growing now and it seems a lot of Monarchs and Queens visiting right now to enjoy all these plants. :-) I love milkweed!!
I'll have to check the weather report. I didn't know we were going to get a cool snap this weekend! Whoo Hoo! I hope to get a few hours out in the garden this weekend to do some serious weeding and some seed sowing. I need to clean out the 2 container ponds as well. (That's a nasty job! Ugh.)
I overwatered one of my brugs, so some of the leaves turned yellow. This Sulphur butterfly took advantage of the leaf and used it to blend in with overnight for safe cover.
Ooh, I like that sulphur. Dad said he saw a Gulf Frit outside today. Oh, and I have been seeing a huge sulphur that I believe is an Orange-Barred Sulphur. And the weather man upped the chances of rain to 50% on Sat and 60% on Sun! He even used the word "thunderstorm".
I got one of my many catalogs today (this one was Park's Seeds) and they had a white-blooming milkweed in it. I've seen the orange, red, and yellow before, and when I was in WV I saw the pink kind. But I didn't know they came in white?! It was pretty, but then I was thinking the yellow aphids would really stand out. At least with yellow blooms they blend in. And while we're on the subject of milkweed...confession time - I have no milkweed in my yard! They're pretty popular here so I guess I decided to focus on some of the lesser-known natives. Plus, I really don't like those aphids. I had some milkweed last year and I might grow it again, but for now I'm going to be happy with my pawpaws and spicebush (among other plants).
Melanie
I would like to add a spicebush in spring. Does anyone have it growing in full shade? It is the only area I have left for a larger bush. I have some sun, If I can keep it trimmed to about 4x3.
chris