Hey, I didn't notice that. Three pairs of feelers. That's a lot of feeling going on! haha.
Martha
Butterfly population down?
We had at least 10 monarchs flying around all day and some pipevines too.
It seems things are picking up.
Josephine, do you think nurseries sell Pipevine? That's what I need to complete the host plants I want in my garden. Can it be grown from seed? Cuttings?
Martha
Yes Martha, to all of the above, the vines i have are still very little, and I have never had cats on them, maybe this year I will get lucky.
Josephine.
I don't know about your area; but this Wooly Pipevine is the best one for PSTs they say for our area. I had the Giantea last year and found out from others on Dave's that cats were dying on it, so I yanked it up.
Sheila, my Wooly Pipevine is very small, is yours a good size?
Thanks for that tip, Sheila. Are Wooly or Giantea the same as Dutchman's Pipevine?
Martha
They are both pipevines, yes.
Here is the one that I pulled out. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/56130/ Several people noticed it would have eggs laid on it they cats would live a few days then die. If they caught them when they first hatched and moved them to a wooly pipevine, then they would bounce right along.
Frostweed....Yes mine is just this past 2 weeks started putting out a runner. I thought it would never grow!! It is about 12-14" now.
This message was edited Aug 31, 2008 3:19 PM
Wasn't the problem that sometimes the PVSTs died while using Aristolochia gigantea, but the Polydamas cats could use it safely? I had one A. gigantea and two PVST cats died on it (after I ran out of Aristolochia fimbriata)...got rid of it after that. The common name Dutchman's Pipevine is used with various Aristolochia species...that's the problem with some common plant names. It's good to know the botanical name for your plants so you know for sure what you have.
I have finally seen some Gulf Frits, on the Passion Vine of course. Other than that, one Monarch....sigh.
I do have a lot of Black Chinned female hummers though, I have five feeders out right now and I am camera ready.
I am really going to try and make it to the Roundup. I just potted up a bunch of red turk's cap and have been collecting Dutchman's Pipe and milkweed seed to take with me. I hope I will be able to go as I will probably have a job by then and will have to work on Saturdays. I am not even sure I can get all of my Master Gardener hours in for this year.
I attended a MG seminar this weekend on building copper trellises,and ornaments, the cost included a book that is loaded with projects and explains even to someone that has never cut a pipe how to make them. Yes, I know copper is high so ya'll watch your AC's...LOL!!!!!! Name of the book is Trellis Craft by Roger Beebe.
Hope you are all well.
I'm sure there is something else that could be substituted for copper. Personally, I wouldn't add anything copper to the yard when it would likely be stolen and sold for money for the thief's drug habit...or for his gas for that matter! While DH was in the hospital last year, somebody came by and took a fairly modest amount of copper left over from when DH had an A/C business. And that was in the country where the crime rate is relatively low. I'd bet sales on that book have plummeted drastically.
So, according to the Plant Files, Dutchman Pipe is a Gigantea. I'll avoid that one and look for Wooly.
Debnes sent me some frostweed seeds last year. Not one germinated. I even tried refrigerating some. That didn't work. I would like to try again for next summer if I can find seed.
Datura, most certainly I have never cut a pipe. I'll be interested to know if you take on a trellis!
Martha
I have three copper obelisks and two copper trellises. Theft never entered my mind. Fortunately I have always kept my backyard gate locked, so perhaps my loot is safe. I just didn't know copper was a "precious" metal.
Martha
mw perry, the Dutchman's I have is Aristolochia fimbriata, its really pretty.
For some reason copper is being stolen throughout Texas, especially in this area. I think its all related to the gas prices as they sell it for scrap. Its big business here. I have a 8' fence around the yard so they would have to work at getting it out of the yard as I am going to set everything in concrete because we have really strong winds here and if you have a vine attached unless you have it secured it will surely blow over. Besides I have two guards to protect them, thier names are Smith and Wesson. (an old Texas joke)
I actually saw my favorite butterfly today Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Male today, he flew right past my yard, how rude! I guess I will have to plant more nectar and host plants for them. I see one of the host plants is Cottonwood....I'd get run out of town if I planted that. Other listed for hosts are wild cherrym sweetbay, basswood, tulip tree, birch, ash, mountain ash and willow. I don't have any of those, does anybody know what else they will host on as I would like to be the Hostess with the Mostess. LOL
Datura, LOL. Love the Smith & Wesson joke. So funny.
Thanks for the choice of Dutchman Aristolochia fimbriata. I'll look around for it.
My copper is secure. Like you, I have an 8' fence around my backyard.
I read one of the favorite hosts of the ETSW is Sweet Bay Magnolia. It is a relatively small tree. Will that grow in TX?
Martha
I don't know if the Sweet Bay will grow here, I will have to ck. into that. Just to show you what is in my garden below is my picture garden blog link. You and anybody else can look and see there is a whole buffett to choose from, yet I know that darn butterfly went into my neighbors weed filled crappy yard..no manners it has I tell ya!
Last year late in the season it was on my salvia which comes back from seed each year and is in full bloom right now. See pic from last year.
http://pegsgarden.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html#2888771656230412162
Peg, your photographs are spectacular. Your garden is exquisite. Your sofa, coffee table, carpet, and lamps -- well impeccable. Really, you are quite the artist. I loved viewing everything, especially with your annotations. That includes Grace and Cricket! I have one named Sugarlips! He's a male, and has luscious kisses. Thus, his name.
Thank you for that beautiful display.
Martha
Ok Peg, we must get together. We have a lot of the same plants. I don't have a sofa though, and my plants are as behaved as yours are.
I love your blog page. I kept saying I was going to do something like that when I retired but I have been so busy. I don't know how I had time to work!!
Please dmail me whenever you want to come for a visit. Frostweed, Mitch, and Debnes have been over. Others have too but the brain is old. We have a large lot and keep adding flower beds every year.
Peg,
Yes, your yard is wonderful! I know this has nothing to do with the thread so if you want to DM me that would be great, but I wanted to know what special care your morning glorys take. I have a perennial that goes gangbusters everywhere and has gorgeous blue flowers all the time. I also planted a hybrid that had a beautiful magenta flower on it at the nursery and have not seen a bloom since. This was back in March. Have done the Bloom Buster thing several times. If you have some tips for me, I would love to hear them. Thanks,
Annie
Thanks Shiela, MWPerry and Anniejo for the really nice comments....Sheila, I am going to take you up on that visit. I will dmail you. That blog takes so long to do, but I really enjoy it and hope that comments I make about the critters and environment at least cause one person to realize how fragile our environment is. That is what started this whole thread...I still think its the chemicals and the "more is better" mentality of people when using chemicals. I do use chemicals but only as a last resort and very sparingly.
AnnieJO, I will D mail you about the Morning Glories.
Look what I found today in my garden, and a bonus a Hummingbird Moth.
MWperry...kiss sugar lips for me!
Peg
Isn't it cute?????????????
Great camera work!! I used to think that the hummingbird moths were cute until I met their larvae on my tomato plants...... oh, well, everything has to eat!
Annie
Sugarlips has been kissed -- for you, Peg.
Great photos.
Martha
I returned last night from a ten day vacation. After unloading the car I took a walk to check my flower beds. Before I left there were aphids on my milkweed [A. tuberosa]. The aphids are mostly gone and I saw a few lady bugs in their place. Thank you Ms Lady Bugs. I also saw some BST cats on them.
When I left I had a curly leaf parsley. It was 12-14" wide and 8" tall. I counted a dozen BST cats on it before leaving. All that's left is stems and two cats looking for something to eat. After Judy made a pass at looking she told me something had eaten the parsley. I told her it was the cats. She asked what I was going to do about it and I told her I'd plant more next year. She hadn't grasped the idea the parsley was grown for the cats to eat. Or the milkweed either for that matter. She thought they were planted for her enjoyment. LOL
Gary
Nice feeling to know that while you were gone you were still doing your part for the butterflies. (I bet you meant to say Monarch on the MW.)
I have been blessed to see more butterflies since the hurricanes have disrupted their flight patterns. I guess they know what is best for them.