A different skipper checking out the ruellia.
DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 38
Great shots Kim!!! Way to go, those little buggers are fast!
This message was edited Jun 21, 2008 8:20 PM
OOOO, Blue Eyes so pretty, I just planted 2 mist flowers from my good friend in Florida. I would love to add Queens to my garden.
Elaine
Elaine, blue eyes has the blue mistflower, it looks like. The one I gave you will be white, but should do the job. If I can ever find some more blue, seeds or plants, I will get us some. Mine didn't come back after our drought this past spring. I want some more really bad, they are wonderful. : )
Lucy, I have them (blue)on my 'want' list too. White ones are growing..
here is a silver spotted skipper,
E
You would never know how pretty those lil skippers are, unless you get down and really look at them. : )
Since I seem to be always down and digging in the dirt..... LOL
I can't think of anything else better to do than play in the dirt, and watch BF's : )
Elaine, on your way down to Fla, why don't you stop by and get some of my West Tx Mist Flower? You could take Lucy some by too.
I promise not to kill it this time. lol I will water it religiously. It was beautiful last year.
I don't know when she will be down next. Elaine? When? Did you hear? We can get some more. : )
~Lucy
I could always ship yall some but I know she visits Fla often.
We will see what Elaine says when she comes in. : )
Is there anything that you need, that we can see if we have, or can get it for you?
We have lots of stuff between the 2 of us. : )
~Lucy
This message was edited Jun 22, 2008 10:44 AM
Well, it was volunteer day again at MOSI. I've been trying to get a good stinkhorn picture, and the Giant STs were more than happy to oblige. Those were the meanest, stinkiest Giant STs I've ever handled. I really think caterpillars are like other animals - if you raise them to be handled, they get used to it.
Lots of White Peacocks were flying around the garden; at least, until the thunderstorms rolled in.
Our chrysalis boxes have pieces of styrofoam glued to the lid. Here I pinned a Polydamas chrysalis to it. Always pin through the silk or through the plant - never through the chrysalis!
Some of you have asked how to tell a Polydamas cat from a Pipevine cat. So today I secured a couple of models. The Pipevine is on the top and you can see his antenna thingies are much longer. Also, the orange things on the Pipevine don't stick out nearly as far as they do on the Polydamas.
It's been raining all weekend long (not that I'm complaining). Today there's been a little break in between thunderstorms, but not much. I went outside about fifteen minutes ago and already it's thundering again. It seems like all of the butterflies bum-rushed my plants in the short time the sun was out. Here was a sulphur on the pentas.
I saw a swallowtail over by the plumbagos and thought at first it was a Polydamas. As I got closer I saw tails, so I ruled that out. I think this is a Spicebush! I generally only see them in the woods, but I did plant their host plant. They also use bay trees which are pretty common around here and camphor trees which unfortunately (they're invasive) are also common. I'm going to have to go check out more of the trees in the neighborhood.
The duskywings or, "those crazy black ones" as Dad calls them, were enjoying the buffet again today.
This Gray Hairstreak would not get off this salvia. I got super close to it, went and photographed some other butterflies, came back to it, and it was still there. Rubbing its little wings together like they do and sipping yummy nectar.
The Gulf Frit did a fly by on the porterweed.
Today at the museum I was recapturing a few escapees and putting them back in the flight cage. There were some guests inside so I was chatting and answering questions. Most people like the Giant ST, and I was talking about them to a family. Of course, I said no touching but one of the girls asked what if they land on you? About that time, a Giant ST came and landed on the mom! She had a bright pink shirt on and it was on her shoulder with its proboscis out. I told her it was probably drinking the salts on her skin and the dad meanwhile whips out the camcorder and starts filming. The mom starts laughing and saying how it tickles. It was fun to see people enjoying the butterflies.
The Cassius blues have been wandering off the plumbago momentarily to enjoy some of the other plants I've added. Of course, in this picture it's enjoying a weed that I regularly pull out of the flower beds.
I just wanted to point out that all the above photos (from the sulphur onward) were taken in about a ten minute period in front of my house. So you can really attract a lot of different types of butterflies to your yard if you try. I only have a half acre lot so it's not like I have tons of land to plant stuff on.
Wow, mellie you get a lot of butterflies! Are there any photos of your gardens on Dave's? I would love to see them if there are.
I've taken a few in the past, but I've changed a lot around. I need to get out there and take some more pictures as soon I plant a few more things. I've been adding quite a bit lately since we ripped out a bunch of stuff this spring.
Your pictures are beautiful, mellie!
Mellie, great pictures, especially the 2 cats.
Deborah, you are so kind to share your W Tx mist flower. I would love to stop by and see you anyway. My yellow butterfly weed is growing and I just got some seeds from it today. Cute little wispy things. Also the milkweed is growing well. Not sure when we will be going back down again, but I will give you a call.
Here is my first varigated fritillary. She laid bunches of eggs on my passion vine.
Elaine
Absolutely amazing pics...ya'll do such an incredible job!!!
Great pics, also glad you are enjoying your experience at the bf exhibit!
Great pics everyone! Nice exhibit pics Mellie!
Congrats on the Variegated Fritillaries Elaine!
Aren't the Queens beautiful Kim! Great shots!
Here are a few highlights from my week of very little butterflies. Sure we have a few Gulf Frits, Black STs, and quite a few different Skippers. Also seeing Lady Bugs on the MW while I wait for the Monarchs keeping the aphid numbers under control.
Having visits from this little hummer lately... Here on a very tall Canna
Dragonfly ovipositing in a pond I had for Echo (my Magpie Duck). Now I have to leave the water alone until they hatch and fly out of the water, I suppose...
Here is a close-up of the Dragonfly. My son Kirby took both this pic and the one above...
Check out her smile!! :-) "Look out skeeters!!"
Debnes
Great pictures everybody! That hummingbird photo is amazing debnes. Dragonflies are fun to photograph because they are so much better behaved than butterflies!
I saw my first Painted Lady yesterday! I was at the Houston Arboretum in a deeply forested area. I would still like to see an American Painted Lady, but his one was a joy to see too.
This Spicebush posed for me as I was leaving the arboretum.
There many gulf frits, but none of them posed even for a second! They were lovely to watch.
I too just found a very first G.F. in the garden. Woohoooo!!!
Here is a little smaller in size b.f. Could you help I.D. please.
Kim, you've got some kind of crescent there. I can't tell the difference between the Pheon and Pearl Crescent without my book, but I know I get more Phaeons where I live. They're fun little butterflies; I like the way they flap their wings.
Yes, that's it! It constantly flap its wings when landed. I loved that thing! Thank you, Mellie.
Glad everyone liked my pictures. And Kim, you're welcome. Apparently, after three days of rain the butterflies were ready to nectar. Mom said she saw three different Zebra Longwings, the Gulf Frit, Monarch, duskywings, and this tattered Spicebush ST. Dad also said there were crazy amounts of butterflies today. Mom also spotted the hummingbird (female).
On my Woolly Ironweed, a little skipper.
