The Snout Butterfly again, drinking?
DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 33
I can't figure out what this is. I've seen it several times. Might not even be a butterfly or moth, but it's pretty like one!
My Orange Barred Sulphur seems to be on the verge of making his chrysalis. He's changing as you can see in this photo. Kind of like Gulf Frits, their skin gets that white, puffy look. What was really strange is that I found this guy wrapped around another cat (about the same size) when I got home from the gym. The other cat had already been attacked once; I found him the other day on the side of the cage and I could see where some green fluid had come out. He seems ok but then I saw them wrapped around each other and it was like separating two pythons. I put some sticks in the cage and that seems to keep them busy and less likely to run into each other. The guy in the photo seems to have found a place he likes so hopefully he'll make his chrysalis soon. These sulphurs are so much trouble!
Melanie
Elphaba, that looks like the 8-Spotted Forrester Moth to me. I've found their caterpillar on wild grapevines.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/showimage/3841/
Linda, I think you got it. What beautiful pictures they have of it too. I also wanted to tell you that your Juniper Hairstreaks on the Antelope Horn were just fabulous! I loved the plant as much as the butterflies and had to go check it out in the plantfiles!
Way to go Linda!
Neat moth Elphaba!
Report it in your zip code by scrolling down to the bottom of the main Bug File page for it.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/go/4647/
Elphaba~ Will you becoming to the CS Round up?
We've been getting several patrolling males around here...
Goatweed Leafwings, Silver-spotted Skippers, Painted Ladies, Cloudless Sulphurs, and finally a female Black Swallowtail this evening...
We are back in business!!
This one was all over the Tall Dianthus between chasing all the other butterflies around, lol!
Yea!!!! I am ready for them.
All of these photos are spectacular. I don't think I'll ever be able to catch shots like those. Boo hoo. Well, I need butterflies so I can try. My butterfly garden is almost completely planted, so maybe in a week or so I will have some bf's.
Debnes, re the seeds you sent me, I could not get several to germinate. Specifically, the TX Mistflower, Frostweed, and Joe Pye Weed. I even put them in the refrigerator for a month. Still no germination. I will try once more and sow them directly in the ground now that my frost date is past.
Others you sent germinated wonderfully: Tropical Milkweed, French Hollyhock, Plantago Plantain.
Martha
Sorry about the nectar plants Martha, maybe they'll start outdoors better. I can surely send you some TX Mist and maybe a plant of the Frostweed. I have to take another look and see if the small one I have can be shipped.
The TX Mist will flat out take over where you put it, so select a big spot, or be prepared to keep pulling it up if it goes wild on you. It's hard to collect all the seeds and it trails underground.
Frostweed is a pretty well behaved (not so much a weed, as the name suggests). Once you get one, you will have it a long time.
JPW is a hard one to get started. I had a large plant last year (about 5 1/2 ft. tall). This year I am not seeing it yet.
Martha (& Deb) - I have found that some plant seeds germinate later. Under their prefered conditions such as heat, sunlight, dry, wet, etc. I have actually has plants show up almost a year after I planted the seeds. I would not discount the germination of those plants yet. You might just be pleasantly surprised in a month or more!
Thanks Debnes and Becky. I'll sow the seeds outside and as the heat progresses here, we'll see what happens.
Martha
Debnes, unfortunately, I can't make it to the CS roundup. I'm having guests on that day. Next year, I'll be sure to plan around it! I really enjoyed your pictures. They're so big and clear -- love 'em!
Another blurry photo of the White-lined Sphinx. I still haven't mastered the shutter speed yet, but at least this photo has an artistic feel to it. :-)
Elphaba, your moth is a beauty. Deb, seeing your butterfly photos makes me want to leave work and go home!!
Carla
Look who showed up in my yard today - a Red Banded Hairstreak! It seems like forever since I've seen them, and especially since they've been in my yard! I saw a couple of them hanging out on the leaves and grass underneath my big oak tree.
And the Phaeon Crescents are still hanging out in the backyard. I checked the frogfruit but no luck. The eggs and cats must be tiny anyhow! Luckily I had at least 5 or 6 of the crescents flying around. They were mostly enjoying the tassel flower http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2736/
Melanie
Love that Phaeon Crescent, Melanie!
Carla - Aren't those Spinx just the coolest moths????
Agreed Becky they sure are!
Crescent and Hairstreak are outstanding Melanie!
Yes, Becky, the Sphinx are the coolest! I went in the backyard quickly this morning to check the rain gauge (got over 2" last night) and spotted one feeding from the Salvia May Night. Yowza, they're everywhere!! I have a feeling that they're using my flowerbeds as a nursery.
Carla
One resting yesterday.
Got email from Glassberg. He thinks that Banded Orange Heliconian is a new country record for Starr County, Texas. He wants to put it in the "Hot Seens" section of the next issue of American Butterflies magazine :o) Woohoo!!!
Here's the photo of the rare butterfly I photographed at the ranch.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=4728011
~ Cat
That's sure a beauty! Congratulations!
Oh! How absolutely wonderful, Cat! Congrats about the publicity in the magazine, too! Whoo Hoo! Looks like it's going to be a great butterfly year!
I've found an unknown moth snoozing among my Otto Quast lavender, please help I.D. There are so many butterflies from this threads I'm looking forward to find in my garden. Such as the the polydamas, redbanded hairstreak, and others.
One more shot...
Not sure what this is, but it was blending in beautifully as it rested.
Monarch busy depositing eggs again yesterday.
Same Monarch.
Congratulations Cat!! Whoooohooooo!
Kim~~ I will look into the moth and get back in a few minutes..
GP~~ Lovely shots! The Sulphur is a "Large Orange Sulphur" Phoebis agarithe.
The Caterpillar hosts are Mimosa family, and sometimes Catclaw, and Blackbead.
When I get back with Kim's moth I will post a link to the new thread.
:-)
Debnes
Wow, Cat. Congratulations!! Your famous. "Hot Scenes" in American Butterflies. Whoope ti doooooooo!
Martha
I think I got it Kim...
Lettered Sphinx Moth - Deidamia incripta
http://butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=3454
http://bugguide.net/node/view/90922
I enhanced your photo so it would show the markings a little better:
Deb, thank you. Lettered Sphinx Moth! That's so cool. I do have both of the hostplants listed. ^_^ . I cultivate the Vitis, but the Virginia creepers are gift from birds, lol.
Eastern Swallowtail? This 'purdy' was nectaring on Azaleas and other blossoms in the garden yesterday before sun set.
I was just yearning for the redbanded hairstreak's return. And here she/he is! Last year I photographed a picture of my plumeria, months later I discovered the R.H on the flower. My first time seeing this butterfly. This year, I get to see it in person! And the little one is really tiny!
YW Kim!! I hear you with the bird gifts LOL!!
I really love it when they turn out to be butterfly/moth host plants! How amazing is that?
Your azalea friend is an Eastern Tiger ST!! Lovely pic! I am expecting droves of them any time now!
Here is the new DAILY thread folks! Come join me there!
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/832885/
Debnes!
Linda..............
I just noticed the photo of all the Juniper Hairstreaks!!! WOW!!! I just love those little green hairstreaks. They blend in so well with leaves it is easy to overlook them at times. Congrats on so many!!!
Have you raised them? If so, post their life cycle on a new post...if not, well, now you've got another project for the summer!!!
~ Cat
I haven't raised those hairstreaks, Cat. But there are a lot of them in this area. I just assume they use the multitude of Ashe Junipers (cedars) in the area, but haven't actually seen them on those trees. Maybe someday I'll find some there.
This morning, I actually caught a GST in the yard...it didn't stay for a photo session, but I'm so glad I saw it. The Hop Trees are blooming and DH has told me before today he saw a butterfly he thought might be a GST. We went to wash the truck today at a local place....I had accumulated a TON of sandy mud when I went to an outing at a Frio Co. ranch recently after a rain and the unpaved road into the ranch had huge monster mud puddles. Anyway, there were some swallow nests (I think they were cave swallows) on the ceiling of the bays while we washed the truck, so we enjoyed watching the little birds....they were SO cool! Then when I was preparing to vacuum the inside of the truck, DH called me over, saying he thought there was a Pipevine butterfly over on the pavement in front of a bay. I walked over closer to the puddling butterfly and I could see it was quite a beauty...not a PVS.....it was a gorgeous Red Spotted Purple! Oh, yes, I was kicking myself for not bringing my camera! Swallows and RSPs? How could I even think of EVER leaving the house without a camera?
Oh Linda........THWAPP!!! That's for forgetting to take the camera with you!!! :o)
I never leave home without mine...just never know what you'll see. I keep waiting for the chupacabra to pop out of the woods...ROLF!!!
Do hope you can find some caterpillar to raise. Those are truly lovely green butterflies. Am totally fascinated by green butterflies!!!
~ Cat
This message was edited Apr 10, 2008 10:41 PM
sooo many pretty butterfly pictures. enjoyed them so much. MUST REMEMBER TO TAKE CAMERA!!! LOL
Elaine
Yeah really a Cat THWAPP has gotta hurt!! Maybe even leave a mark,,, ;-O!!
Sorry I missed the JHS Linda!! I was juggling too much at once.. Awesome that you get those!
:-)