DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 34

Continued from: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/827370/#post_4785076

We had torrential rains last night. There was a lot of damage in the area, but not where I am. No reports of injuries either. People here are used to these kinds of storms and pretty much know how to keep safe. Thank God!! Next few days bright and sunny with cooler nights than normal.
....The Milkweeds shot up several inches though..;-)

Keep the great pictures and accounts of your Butterflies, Hummers and Moths coming folks...
Looks like it's going to be a great butterfly season!!


Here is one of a couple Goatweed Leafwings visiting here lately.. Resting on a branch of the Amorpha fruiticosa between visits to the fruit tray.

Here is the same character at the fruit tray..
He's attempting to blend in with the cantaloupe...

Here is a close-up of an amazing plant. The afore mentioned Amorpha fruiticosa.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1613/

It is a Caterpillar host for Silver-spotted Skipper
http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/showimage/4736/

and Southern Dogface...
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=3768584

Plus it's a great nectar plant!

This year I have blooms morphing out a little at a time on these spires. If any of you can get one of these plants, get one!

Debnes

Deb, I would love to have one, but right now simply don't have room in my flowerbeds. It was either that or the Cassia alata .... Maybe next year I'll take something out and replace with an Amorpha. So many plants, so little room!

Carla

Carla, I'm in your position. No room for Amorpha fruiticosa. I have Cassia (also) seedlings waiting to be planted in another week or two.

Kim, bet you have room to plant an AF. BTW, we saw Eastern Tiger Swallowtails on the same day! Between my neighbor's garden and mine, it was flittering around too fast to photo.

Debnes, I am enamored at your bf pic collection. You possess bf's/moths I've never seen before, as well as wonderful plants I've never heard of. Hot dog, this is as much fun as gardening!

What are the chances of finding a moth that chose to lay eggs inside the garage shed, and one ecloses recently in my stack of pots that I stored nearby my potting table?
How lucky for me or is that of the moth? I've found this little one just as it ecloses, the shell is still in the pot and this baby's wings aren't even dried out. lol.

Martha, my goal this year is to increase hostplants for the garden, but I'm not sure if I find enough room to plant all those that are on my list of "wants" let alone adding new one to the list. lol

Besides the swallowtails b.f. I've noticed some Monarch (I think), and Sulphurs as well. And just like you, Martha I'm learning to chase those butterflies with my little Kodak and won't be successful most of the time. lol.

Well, I had my camera on me today but it didn't do any good as everyone was doing fly-bys. I was out watering my seedlings (I scattered like five kinds of zinnia, some coreopsis, Bidens something-or-other from Select Seeds). Seriously, things are going to come up and I know I'm going to think, "Did I do that?" So anyway, I was watering and that Tiger ST fkew by me about three times. It's probably not the same one as a few weeks ago as this one seemed smaller, but they all enjoy tormenting me. Then, a Gulf Frit flew by and I even saw a Zebra Longwing! The Blues are back on the plumbagos but I get dizzy watching them. I was just about to come back in the house when a huge Monarch flew by me! That's the first Monarch I've seen in my yard since...I can't remember!

The big USF spring plant sale is this weekend! After I raid the bromeliad booths, I'm going to load up on butterfly plants. I have added that indigo to my list. A lot of the vendors are local plant clubs so you get a variety you never see at the commercial places. My favorite vendors are the Bromeliad Guild (super low prices!) and the Florida Native Plant Society. USF has another plant festival in June that is specifically "Butterfly, Herbs, and Native Plants". Lots to look forward to!

My Orange-Barred Sulphur made his chrysalis, and it's shaped like the Cloudless Sulphur. However, it's much bigger and instead of being yellow or pink it's this great shade of green! The little yellow/black blur below is another caterpillar.

My Zebra STs were very busy today! Two made their slings and one molted. When they build their slings, they go back and forth several times. I always thought they were trying to squeeze themselves in under the silk. Now, that might be part of it, but what I never noticed until now is that the sling isn't one silken thread. When they're going back and forth they're laying another thread of silk each time so the sling is many threads that make one thick sling. I guess it's the caterpillar version of weaving or making rope. I can't believe I never noticed that before. Here's a pic - these cats are contortionists!

How sweet is that little fella!

Here's another look. They go back and forth along the silk, reinforcing it. I'm not sure how they know when they're done, but when they are they stick their head under and through so the sling is looped around them.

Isn't he cute? The ZSTs are my favorite (but don't tell the other cats)! This is the one that molted. I like watching the stripes slide down their body as they molt.

Here he is all fresh and new. After an initial crop of brown cats, I've apparently got all green ones now. This little guy was being mean this morning. All I did was open the lid to put some food in and out came the stinkhorns! Then, he would not put them back in his head - I wasn't even doing anything but he was determined to stink up the place. I think the little ones are more tempermental than the chubby guys.

Melanie

Melanie, you should teach Entomology. You are fascinating the way you explain the life cycle of your cute babies, from birth to adulthood. You are much more interesting than any professor I ever had, with one exception -- Dr. Hall, my Entomology prof, and you remind me of him in the way he engaged his students with tingling facts about lepidopteras, bugs, spiders, all little creature in the Arthopoda phylum. Have you ever thought of teaching a class in this field? You are truly gifted.

Martha

Congrats Mellie. They are cute. I have seen 2 this year so far. They never stay more than a day or 2

Mellie, do you know when the USF plant sale will be in June? Is there a link? I plan to down there to go fishing sometime in June.....
Here is a Swallowtail??? I think ---not a very good pic. It wouldn't be still. Is it black form of ETS?

another pic of him/her...
Elaine

Elaine, it's either that or a Spicebush Swallowtail. Everyone, feel free to jump in with your opinions. The USF Butterfly Fest is June 14 and 15. I'm still recovering from today's Spring Plant Festival!

The butterflies were out and about today! The gardens have a butterfly garden and lots of host plants, but when you get a bunch of vendors in there with all those nectar plants, the butterflies go crazy. I watched a couple of Zebra Longwings fly around the butterfly garden. They were enjoying the Spanish Needles. ZLWs tend to prefer the shade and Spanish Needles tend to prefer full sun, but these were growing in the shade so it worked out for everyone.

I just like this picture

There were about four Monarchs flying around the butterfly garden. One of my fave vendors, Colorfield Farms sets up across from the butterfly gardens which makes sense because they sell a lot of butterfly plants. I got some Milkweed, black and blue salvia, pentas (favored by Dad as well as bfs), and more porterweed. Their plants are $5 each or you can fill a six pack (mix and match) for $25.

There was a sulphur flying around the cassia (naturally) in the butterfly garden. A lady had her cart loaded with lots of new purchases that proved irresistible though. You can see the sulphur sticking out of the orange flowers.

Here's a blurry Gulf Frit on lantana. The gardens have a smaller bf garden by the bathrooms. I inspected their Hercules' Club trees (now that I can ID them) and found five Giant ST eggs. One looks like a dud, but I have all of them here with me! Mom is a good lookout - we're partners in crime.

Deb-I almost forgot to mention that the native plant society had one of those indigo plants you mentioned above so I made sure to pick one up!

Yesterday, I went to pick more Zebra ST food and picked up four cats. I actually found five. The one was a tiny guy, and when I grabbed the leaf to pull it off, the force sent him flying through the air. I felt really guilty about it. I looked for him on the ground but I knew it was like a needle in a haystack. Although, I actually thought that would be easier because needles are shiny and would have reflected the sun. I felt even more guilty last night when I put them all in the cage. I looked over a little later and one of the bigger ones was EATING my baby caterpillar! I know the ZSTs are notorious for being cannibalistic, but waaaaaah! I could tell the little guy had tried to stinkhorn him, too from the smell. I had another tiny cat so I took him out and put him in his own little Gladware home. I know I've had cats each other before, but I never actually witnessed it. Sniff, sniff.

Finally, thank you Martha for your kind words. I'm not a teacher although I get mistaken for one all the time (it's becoming a joke in my family). Even my employees keep telling me I missed my calling in life, lol! And I am gifted - they tested me in back in the 2nd grade. They couldn't, however, quantify the size of my ego (it's big)!

Melanie

AWWW, Mellie, did you have a funeral for those little cats??? I'm sure you have saved a lot more that would have been gone.. We'll have to call you teach. The best teachers are the ones who are enthusiastic about what they are teaching..
Elaine

No, I'm not that crazy (yet). If I have cats that don't make it I generally throw them out in the yard so nature can take its course. I do try to remind myself that my karma account is definitely in the black (the accountant in me coming out there). I guess it's just hard to watch nature be cruel. Dad was watching a nature show one time and they were following seals. They kept talking about the sharks preying on them and then they showed it and I had to have him change the channel. I was already feeling kind of down that day and just wasn't in the mood to watch animals eating each other.

In some good news, I saw a couple of ladies wearing butterfly t-shirts shopping at the native plant society booth. One of them had a list and I could hear them discussing host plants for the Tiger Swallowtail. It's cool to know other people are helping the butterflies.

Funny moment - Mom and I always go in with a plan. My plan is to run as fast as I can to the Bromeliad Guild's booth so I can get the best plants. We bring a cart with us which hinders progress, so I run ahead while Mom catches up to me with the cart. She generally gets distracted by the African Violet Society, but they're within view of the bromeliad booth so I can always find her. As they we're opening the gates for members (who get in half an hour early), I turned to her and said, "Ok, you're in charge of the cart. I'm in charge of running." The lady in front of us and her husband just cracked up laughing. But I got some awesome bromeliads!

Each month at the garden they have a weekend with a sale centered around a theme; May will be the Rose and Orchid Fantasy (free orchid for Mom's on Mother's Day) and June is the Butterfly and Herb Fest. You would think the Florida Native Plant Society would be there but they haven't in the past. But this year they're advertising that they'll be there so that will be a real benefit. I prefer to buy from plant clubs if I can; they're generally cheaper and share similar values. The butterfly fest also has a vendor that comes in and sets up a tent full of free-flying butterflies ($1 admission). They have two feeding times per day where they hand out Q-tips soaked in red Gatorade. Mom and I went in last year and except for the fact that it was about 100 degrees inside, we had a great time. I'm definitely looking forward to it!

Mellie, I thought that it might be a Spicebush. I searched and it looked like it was the one. Well, I have lots of honeysuckle and azaleas and woodlands. Now, to plant Joe Pye Weed, spice bush, and sassafras.
Hope you are rested now.. And your mom too. I think my mom can outdo me most of the time..
Elaine

Faded, slightly tattered Monarch mama has been spotted in the yard and some eggs are already laid. Who knows....maybe a BF I raised last fall. Will follow her around for her requisite "Mother of the Cats" photo if I see her again. Oh...BTW, the single egg I found on a roadside milkweed a while back did hatch, but the tiny thing did not survive more than a day or so...something was wrong with it. Hoping for better results this time.

Well, I had two things happen today. First, I was checking on my little Zebra ST. Remember I put him in his own Gladware after the mean cat ate my other little guy? Well, I knew there was an egg on the leaves I put in with him; I thought it was the egg he came out of. But then this morning when I went to look at him, there was a baby Zebra ST cat wandering around! So I guess that egg wasn't his at all.

Then, I had my first Zebra ST of the year eclose! I was trying so hard to watch it come out. I swear, I think they can see out of the chrysalis better than you'd think. I'd been watching all morning and into the afternoon. I get up for one second to go to the kitchen to make some lunch. I was getting a drink and setting it down next to the couch when I looked and saw the thing had come out! It's like they wait until you're not around anymore! Still, I saw it all crumpled up and then turn out to be a beautiful butterfly so I won't complain. We walked around outside where it is cool and wet after a cold front passed through. When I left my new bf it was resting in the plumbagos. There was also one of the Cassius Blue bfs flying above the plumbago so I felt that it was a safe location.

Melanie

Would someone kindly tell me what spice bush a hostplant of? I'm a new proud owner of a couple spice bush (Carolina alspice). What type of butterflies am awaiting for? Thanks in advance.
You new Zebra St. baby is awesome, Mellie!
Kim

It's actually called the Spicebush Swallowtail...another black butterfly with some other colors also. It can use other host plants, but it's named after the spicebush.
http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=1379
I think it's so unusal the way the cats move...in short little spurts.

Oh Linda,
I've came across the pictures of those comical looking cats from various sources, but, ooooh I'm excited to learn those are likely to be found in my garden. My plants are barely budding out. I can't wait. Thanks for the helpful info.
Kim

I hate to rain on anyone's parade, but Spicebush is: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/50037/ Carolina Allspice is: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/550/

I have both. The Lindera benzoin is what the Spicebush Swallowtail uses as a host.

Melanie


This message was edited Apr 13, 2008 7:54 PM

Ahh, looks like I've the latter and not the former. Here goes, I'll be in search for Spicebush. lol. Thanks Mellie.
Kim

Melanie, gorgeous Zebra ZT!

Well, I finally got a pic of something in my garden. I was excited and disappointed to find this moth for two reasons: (1) I wanted to find something a bit more exotic, like a beautiful bf, and (2) the moth was dead.

Can anyone id it?

Martha

Congrats on the first for the year ZST Mellie, Way to go!! Also glad you were able to snap up one of the False Indigos.. You're gonna love that plant!

Elaine~ Lovely to get the SBST! I am still waiting patiently for some here to lay some eggs!

Kim~ I got my Spicebushes from www.nearlynativenursery.com They always do me righteous there. It is recommended to get at least 3 because you need male and female plants for them to pollinate.

Just got back from College Station Round-up.. We sure had a blast there. I snapped up a few great plants. It was a beautiful weekend with some beautiful people! It was awesome to meet you (((Linda)))! Great to put a precious face with the name and person I have come to know and love! :-)

Anyone just chiming in now to this thread, welcome in! Feel free to type something or ask questions here, or post your pictures if you're getting any butterfly action where you live!!
This is a public thread for all butterfly lovers, so make yourself at home and don't be shy!

Debnes

Thank you Deb. for the great link of the nursery. I surely will check it out.
Kim

Is this a Palamedes Swallowtail or a Black Swallowtail on the bottle brush? I didn't notice the hint of blue on the wings before I uploaded it, and saw the photo enlarged.

This message was edited Apr 14, 2008 9:52 AM

Another view

someone else with more experience will come along and ID your butterfly. I want to know the botanical name of that bottlebrush plant, please!

Debra (Cordeledawg), I vacationed in Fla. and saw similar Bottlebrush blooms, I came home and since then has planted a couple in my garden, surprisingly enough they're hardy here. Not only that, I took a walk through a nearby neighborhood the other day and saw a mature tree, yes tree to be at least 30 feet tall. It's awesome. One of mine is a dwarf improved form, in which it rebloomed for me x3 last year! One only bloomed once in the season. I've to go back to my journal and look up its botanical name.

bsharf, great pictures of your b.f. on the blooms!
Kim

The sure way to tell the Palamedes is that on the underside of their wing they have a diagonal line that runs parallel to their body. As you can see, yours has it! So congrats, you have a Palamedes.

As for native plants, I buy mine from www.mailordernatives.com That's where I got my Lindera benzoin - and my calycanthus floridus! I like this vendor because being in Florida, they have a lot of Florida plants.

I brought my Giant ST to work today. The chrysalis is getting dark and Mom and I are thinking it might come out today? This is our first one so we're not really sure. I squeezed the chrysalis a little and you can tell it's thinner. See folks, it's not so much that the butterfly busts through the chrysalis. The chrysalis actually gets thinner, and breaks along "seams" that are the weak parts. If you ever notice, empty chrysalids (of one species) all look the same because they break the same. I also read that it's hypothesized the butterflies might also pump themselves with air to help them bust out. I did bring my camera to work with me so let's all hope we get a new butterfly. Much nicer weather for it today.

Melanie

I think that bottlebrush is a weeping bottlebrush, Callistemon viminalis. zone 9 and south. The butterflies love it.