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DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 27
Great minds think alike, Deb! LOL!
Oops... thanks, I hadn't previewed it. Sent it and went to bed! Corrected now.
Good morning Sheila! lol
Are you getting ice?
No, just wet so far. I really don't think we will have much stay on the ground if more moves in. Once the cars start to roll they will warm the streets. I was secretly hoping for ice so I could sleep in lol!
I hear ya, lol... Same here, just very cold and drippy, but we sure needed the rain.
DH was at a sleep study last night so I didn't get much sleep LOL! So I kept hearing in rain all night, that is a good way to protect the plants before low temps. We hadn't had rain for a couple of weeks so it saved me having to turn on the sprinkler system.
I think I am going to be doing a lot of dump and toss with my seeds this year. Of course I will need to rake back leaves and mulch first. I am going to try to get seeds started but I just don't get motivated to do that when it is so cold. Still looking forward to more plants for the bfs this year for sure. My parsley was still looking good the last time I checked it. I hadn't covered it but did mulch them good. The six Rue plants bit the dust last year so I will need to get more of those and maybe put a large pot of them on the deck. I sure want to get more of the GSTs this next year.
Well stay warm today....
Sheila have you tried saving seeds from your lemons and oranges? They will take and you will get foliage. The GSTs love that as an alternative to Rue, and the tender new leaves are great for the little cats. Just plant as many as you have little pots to put them in...
;-)
Debs
If I plant orange seeds now, will the plants be big enough in the spring to support GST larvae? I think you've hit on a great ideal. While I was in south texas I talked to a winter Texan from Illinois at the butterfly center in weslaco. He told me he planted tangerine seeds up there and the GST's ravaged the plants-no leaves left.
jameso
Are you serious for real??? I will be trying that girlfriend!! I would not have thought of that. Now I am motivated to plant something!
Yes Sheila, Any and all the citrus you can get going will be great. Sometimes they take a slow start, but they do start. The GSTs will devour them, but it grows back. I have one Lemon Kirby and I grew from a seed in the mudroom with the other larger "bought" citrus plants. (Lime, Clementine, and Lemon). Outside I have a Flying Dragon, (Hardy Orange) in the ground and I also have a couple Rue in pots on the deck that are still looking good, lol. Can't wait to put them all outside in the sunshine!! I will be planting some more citrus indoors this week.
Jameso~ As far as the wild thistle or nettle plants you were asking about.. You will probably have to look around there in springtime to see whats growing, and particularly look for any cats on them of the RA. Those plants usually don't take well to transplanting, but once you locate the plants you can check back on them after they bloom for any browned seeds at that time. The RA overwinter as adults here using the rotted fruit etc.. as an glyco-alcohol that becomes like antifreeze in their system. You will not see them breeding this time of year at all. They are likely tucked away in woodpiles, cracks of trees or building structures.
I will get you a few seeds of some things I do have out this week ...
debnes
Well, I found some more eggs! This time, they were on my abutilon (Flowering Maple). It's in the mallow family and I've read that lots of things eat mallow plants. Sure enough, something has been eating mine for months, but I never found what it was. I see where the edges of leaves are stuck together with silk but there's never anything in them. I also have regular wasp visitors to the plant. I noticed today that large portions of my plant were leafless. At first, I thought it was the freeze we had, but I know I checked it out after the freeze and it was fine. Here's the plant, see how it only has leaves on top and the new growth coming up near the bottom? The stems are sprouting new leaves, but I've never seen it this bare!
The only "evidence" I saw was this thing. It didn't look like anything was in it, but I can't be sure.
On the very end of one of the bare twigs I saw what I think are eggs. Naturally, I brought them inside and I'm waiting to see what comes out.
Melanie
And to update everyone on my ladybugs, I saw this one in the same spot as I found the eggs. I also saw another larva on one of the lower branches of the oak tree. Hopefully, my protectors will stick around!
Debnes
thanks for the info. I agree with Shelia. I'm planting orange seeds today.
Jameso
You're welcome Jameso!
Edited to add ... watch out for the bug here in this pic as they will come around when there are larvae crawling around. They disguise themselves as ladybug pupae but they prey on larvae.
This is a stink bug & a buckeye caterpillar.
This message was edited Jan 26, 2008 6:12 PM
This message was edited Jan 26, 2008 6:24 PM
I have a possible Red Admiral siting. Dad saw a mysterious butterfly while he was fixing up the trailer today. I have him looking through my books right now. I had been setting some old fruit outside, but I hadn't seen anything on it yet (although I think the squirrels took some of it). Looks like I'll have to mix up some butterfly brew and see if I can lure them in again. Is there nothing more frustrating than someone else saying they saw a butterfly and then not knowing which one it is?!
Melanie
Yesterday, I had momma monarch very busily laying eggs on the milkweed. There are already 11 cats on the milkweed! Several I have transferred to inside the lanai where they'll be safe from predators. Went and got some big milkweed plants, so there will be plenty of food for them. I'll move the rest inside tomorrow.
She was so intent on getting at the milkweed that I watched and snapped a few pics. I could hear her wings flapping in my ears, it was so neat!
Here she is, in an action shot:
Taking a rest in between laying eggs
Thin as a twig!
So busy!
Grabbin' a snack
The hungry cats. I was watching them for a while. One was head butting the other when they got close, it was like boxing.
Cathy
Awesome succession of Monarch photos, svplantingfool! I have a lot of Monarchs in my yard currently, too. I have released about 22 Monarchs and 17 Queens this month. I have a bunch more that are chrysalises and another butterfly that emerged tonight for release tomorrow morning before I go to work. No wonder I have so many fluttering around my yard these days! LOL!
SO cool!
I haven't seen any Queen bf's around, but I'll keep my eyes out for them.
I have 20 peat pots of A. tuberosa started, I'm on a mission to get a lot of that native A. in my yard. I also started lots of the tropical A., since those little piggies just EAT, EAT, EAT!
Also have 50 pots of flat parsley just sprouting and a pot of about 50 seedlings of curley parsely that I need to separate. I'll be ready for the BST's too.
Cathy
Looks like your yard will grand central station for the Milkweed and parsley cats! The more you have, the more that show up and the more cats to eat them all up! LOL!
Oh yes, those are great photos Cathy! Your post reminds me that I need to start some seeds inside my sunroom.
I'm glad to know that you Florida folks are on the ball caring for Monarchs in January. Maybe I'll have lots show up early when it starts to warm up.
Has anyone in zone 8 or colder had any success getting swamp milkweed to send up shoots earlier? . This article on Mo. natives from Butterfly Gardening .org, suggests putting a plastic cover over the area to encourage quicker shoots. Maybe the cover heats up the ground similar to the effect wsing containers has on winter sown seeds? My swamp milkweed area is covered with water from the pond filling up. Just wondering if this trick would work for A. curassvica. Any thoughts?
http://www.butterflygardening.org/tips/hosnecs-natives.html
Cordele- what a nice site. I love the picture of the Spicebush cat, what a winner! I think that's a neat idea about the plastic cover, sort of like a cloche for tropical milkweed. Please let us know how it works.
Cathy
Awesome Cathy!!
Nice pics girlfriend!! Keep it up and we'll be swarmin with bflies in spring!
Excellent to you too Becky! I am so glad you're getting Qs AND Ms!!! Keep us apprised and take pics :-) Great job!
Thanks for the site Deborah! I really like it!
We started out at 68 degrees here today, but it will be windy and dropping temps from here today. Bflies are laying low or in diapause now. Even the birdies will be laying low today.
RC Kinglet has been coming for hummer nectar...
Debnes, that RC Kinglet is just the cutest!
I read "diapause" and had an idea of what it meant, but had never heard the word before. I Googled it and came up with this:
http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312800/diapause.htm
And then this neat page about monarchs from that website:
http://www.insecta-inspecta.com/butterflies/monarch/index.html
Learned some new stuff today, neato-keen!
Cathy
Hi everyone;
The word diapause, though applied to animals -- but I did "diapaused" from the thread, because I haven't had a fix of b.f. around here in my zone! LOL, now I returned, and saw how much I've missed. Thanks all for all the wonderful pics, and new discoveries Mellie, and everyone.
You all are reminding me that I need to start sowing seeds! I've decided to start my first vegetable garden later this year so I'm busy planning that. Plus, I have to get Dad to help build me some raised beds. He still thinks I'm taking over too much of the lawn. Oh, he just reported a large yellow sulphur siting today. I wish I wasn't stuck in an office all day away from the butterflies. Mom even sits in her home office and watches the caterpillars during the day. I only have one small Gulf Frit left (and three chrysalids) but that's good because I'm almost out of passion vine!
Even though I hate the milkweed aphids, I did buy some milkweed seeds this year. Maybe with my new ladybug friends they won't be as much of a problem. I also picked up some fennel to go with the parsley and dill seeds I have. I want a few plants for my own use, but I figure I can just relocate any caterpillars that get on "my" plants.
That's neat that the Monarch cats will butt heads. The Zebra STs do that too, but then the osmeterium "stinkhorns" come out and I have to yell at them. I still miss the little guys though. The pawpaws should bloom in a few weeks and then the leaves will come out. Hopefully, I'll start seeing caterpillars soon after!
The aphids really go for milkweeds and also my Guara. Thinking out loud here, If I were to plant it near the milkweed, would the aphids choice one over the other or would I have twice the number? Hummm.
Actually Deb there are other things you can plant near the MW that should deter the aphids. I will look all of them up the when I get Ben off to school, but here are a couple.....
Garlic Chives
Marigolds
:-)
I had heard that garlic and possibly onions would deter aphids, but I had some garlic plants fairly close to my butterfly weeds and it didn't help. Maybe they weren't close enough?
Jameso
This spring, I may just sprinkle some chive seeds into my MW's growing pots, and see if that doesn't make a difference?
Kim
I found this somewhere on aphids:
Ants "farm" aphids often keeping them in their nest during winter, then bringing them out in spring and placing them on the host plant. The ants eat the honeydew the aphids produce and move them from plant to plant spreading any diseases that are present. The honeydew favors formation of a black fungus known as "sooty mold." Control of the ants may often solve the aphid problem. Aphids abound in warm moist environments and will attack almost anything, favoring succulent new growth.
Predators: Green lacewings, ladybugs and their respective larvae have a voracious appetite for aphids. Larvae from the syrphid fly also consume aphids. Hover flies and praying mantis feed on aphids.
Repellent plants: Anise, chives, coriander (cilantro), garlic, onions, petunias and radish. Nasturtiums act as a trap crop. Aphids definitely prefer yellow flowers.
Squashing a few aphids around the infested plants releases a chemical signal that makes the other aphids drop from the plants and leave.
To foil aphids: flatten a square of aluminum foil around the base of plants to bounce light on the undersides of leaves. This also helps the plants in giving them more light.
Try a barrier of powdered charcoal, calcium dust or bonemeal to keep them away from your plants.
Stinging Nettle Spray: Aphids & Thrips - Cover 1 quart nettles with water, cover and ferment for 3 weeks. Mix 1 part nettle tea with 7 parts water. Spray.
Spread out a barrier of tansy around the base of the plant to stop those ants.
Use a spray made from a tea of tomato or potato leaves and water.
Chop 12 or so tomato leaves and 1 chopped onion in 1/2 cup of of 70% isopropyl alcohol for a few minutes. Apply the mixture directly on aphids with a Q-tip or paintbrush.
A forceful spray of water is often enough to knock the aphids off the plant and may discourage the ants (sometimes).
Put a bright yellow plastic pan in a strategic spot in the garden. Fill it a third of the way full with water. Aphids are drawn to the yellow color, land on the water, sink and drown.
A soap spray can be used to strip them of their protective wax coating, dehydrating them. Mix 1 tablespoon of Castile soap to 1 gallon of water, spray.
Garlic oil spray can kill aphids and other soft bodied pests.
A dusting of diatomaceous earth is lethal to aphids. Wear a mask when using DE.
Teas made from elderberry or rhubarb leaves can act as a deterrent. Oxalic acid is the compound present in these plants that makes a spray effective. It is poisonous. [Obviously, don't do this if caterpillars or butterflies are present]
Place banana peels at the base of infested plant. The peels give them a shot of potassium too!
Also See: Treatments: Horseradish, elderberry and yarrow tea.
For wooly aphids on apple trees: grow the trailing type nasturtiums training them to wrap up and around the tree trunk to ward off these pests. Very attractive too! Note: nasturtiums will specifically attract the black aphid while repelling others.
I haven't noticed that the other aphids leave when you squash some, but maybe some of those tips would work. Another freeze last night after some warm weather. I had seen a GF flying around lately. Other than that, it's mostly been sulfurs lately. Winter....so tired of it! I keep telling myself that all the cold we've had this winter should make for a good peach year in Texas. But that's cold comfort!
This message was edited Jan 30, 2008 4:12 PM
Well, darnit I was going to plant nasturtiums but not so aphids would be drawn to them. Well, in the meantime here's a pic for everyone. Mom got to release my Gulf Frit today and test out her new camera. Other than that it's been pretty quiet here.
Melanie
LindaTX8
I have tried the soap and water. It makes those little suckeers turn black and die in a day. Only problem sometimes its hard to get out in the yard and do that with all the other maintenance going on with the plants. As soon and I get a chance you have some trades listed I would be interested in. You have a couple of good nurseries down there in and outside of Kerrville and New Braunsville.
Jameso