Becky there are Gulf Fritillary cats in need of rescue at Lowes. I stopped by at my lunch break just to see if there was anything new and they had some purple passiflora covered in cats with more GF's in line overhead waiting to lay eggs. I went ahead and bought one (mine at home are down to the nub anyway) and crowded a dozen or so more cats on it. When I went to pay, before I could say anything, the women informs me my vine is covered in WORMS. I tell her no, they are Gulf Fritillary caterpillars. She says no, they are worms and they will get on everything. I say no, they are caterpillars and they only eat passionflowers. She says no they are worms and they will get on the Oleanders and snow-on-the-mountain and eat it. At this point I am starting to look for the Candid Camera. We go back and forth some more before she tells that they should not have been put out to sale because no one will buy a plant with worms (ARRGH) and that they should be put in the dumpster. Which brings me to you, Becky, and any other DGer in the area. My vines won't support any more GF cats but how are those vines you hacked down doing? Is there an emergency team of caterpillar rescuers waiting to spring into action anywhere around? Anyone have any suggestions?
Short of dumpster diving that is. Trudi
SOS Beckygardener
I'm not Becky and I don't live in Floriday...but can you contact any of the local butterfly parks and ask if they will take them? I know our local Lowe's and other nurseries donate plants to school butterfly gardens and such.
If all else fails...give them photos of a Gulf Fritillary and Zebra Longwing and butterflies and have them post it next to the plants saying it is a larval host for them. Perhaps some benevolent shopper will take home the ready made family.
~ Cat
Hmmm.... maybe I'd better check our Lowe's here in Melbourne and see if they have the same problem. If I wasn't 40 miles from you, Trudi, I'd be on my way right now.
Wish I knew someone who lived down that way.
Terrie
Cat, thank you for your suggestions. A nearby Elementary school has a butterfly garden, I think I will stop by and see what their plants look like. Hopefully better than mine. I will see who is in charge of it and if they will contact Lowes about taking the plants. If nothing else, I will try to have a talk with the garden manager but the big box type stores tend to think in very little boxes so I am not optomistic.
Terrie, by all means, stop by your Lowes. I think yours and mine are probably on the same delivery schedule.
You know Lowes is always having this clinic or that workshop but I have never seen them offer anything on butterfly gardening. Oh no wait, I think I do remember a clinic on the safe use of pesticides. Trudi
Trudi - Drat! I didn't see this thread until now. I always check my dmail, but not always the forum until later evening! If I am down that way anytime soon, I will certainly check Lowes. How much were they selling the vines for? The teacher I work with lives in Vero. Maybe I can con her into stopping by and picking one up for me! :-) Thanks for the heads up!!!
Becky and everyone else ;-)
Lowes was selling them for 14.99. I should have bargained for half price since the sales women didn't think they were worth selling anyway. It is just so depressing that people working in a garden center can be so ignorant and closed minded. If someone comes in and asks for advice on a Butterfly garden, what do they say?
Half price? Aw come on you can do better than that!!! I always get them down to at least 75% off or more. I have even weaseled them down to $1.00 on plants in 3 gallon pots that were selling for 14.95 :o)
My local Lowe's knows me already because I'm always after butterfly friendly plants. One of the cashiers was intrigued so I gave her one of my 'butterfly' business card (I designed my own a couple of years ago and hand them out during our butterfly festival or when I'm out in the field butterflying and folks ask how they can get in touch with me).
When the store folks didn't know me I'd say oh my, this one has so many eaten leaves...what kind of pest could be doing that to such a nice plant??? Eweee look!!! It's full of worms!!! YUCK!!! Hey, will you sell this to me for a couple of bucks??? Oh geez...look at these others...they are infected too! You know, I've always wanted this type of plant...how about I buy the lot of them so they won't spread to other plants? Hey, I'll just take them home and clean 'em off and plant them back at the ranch. Really do hope these plants will pull through. Oh well, you know it won't much matter if these plant live or die there. You really have given me a great deal on the price. I really like this store! Ya'll are so much nicer than Home Depot. (I use the same ploy on Home Depot)
It worked like a charm! Well, for the first four or five times.
One time the manager was helping me put them in to my car and noticed all the butterfly stickers on my side and back windows. I also had an old "I Brake for Butterflies" bumper sticker on my bumper. I told him I raised butterflies. (snicker snicker) He thought I was joking. I keep a "family" photo album in the back of my car so I pulled out my three ring binder and showed him several life cycles of various butterflies I've raised.
Lowe's is much better to bargain with than Home Depot. A couple of times they've been kind enough to order specific plants for me.
Gotta love it!!!
~ Cat
ps...bargain with them baby! BARGAIN! You'd be surprised at how "lowe" they will go to keep a customer happy and coming back :o)
Cat,
I think you are my idol ;-) I have never been good at bargaining but I think I will try your tricks.
On another note, apparently I am a hysterical person, quick to over react and get myself in a tizzy! I went back to Lowes this a.m. ( and yes I drove past their dumpster first) and spoke with a "garden specialist". She reassured me that the saleswoman yesterday didn't know what she was talking about and they would never throw away plants with caterpillars and the saleswoman has no authority to make any decisions about plants!
Whew, but now I am a little disappointed because I was looking forward to getting all those vines.
Becky, those vines are still there waiting for you, brimming over with GF cats. Maybe you could try Cat's ploy to get a reduced price. Trudi