Dont know anything about butterflies.....but I had two of these in my back yard last night. What a show they put on!
What are they? Thanks, GM
First pic
DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 40
Second.
And the last.
Looks like Spicebush Swallowtails to me. Mrs._Ed, the BST chrysallis will look darker before it emerges.
Grandmaggie, Linda just may be right about yours being a Spicebush Swallowtail. I first looked and thought Black Swallowtail. Here's the comparison of the two:
http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabambc/frames-2species.asp?sp1=Papilio-polyxenes&sp2=Papilio-troilus
Wonderful pics GM!
Thanks! I read in the comparison the caterpillars can be found on sassfras. I have tons o sassafras in my yard!
Thanks pelle! GM
Someone said on here earlier to look for curled up leaves, as the caterpillars tuck away in there.
The skippers and some others do, but not the BST cats. They will rest on stems or branches when not eating or when shedding a skin.
I meant for the spicebush swallowtail on sassafrass??
Oops, sorry about that. Yes, Mellie posted on this thread about those. Here is the post.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=5314755
Alright dagnabbit! I'm frustrated at not seeing any butterflies! I'm tempted to quit my day job and stay home :o) Oh how I live for weekends!!!
Okay...things aren't that bad. I did get to see some Common Mestras and Pipevines at the ranch as well as gobs of lysides and Snouts.
I also saw a GST flitting around my citrus trees about an hour ago today while I was weed-eating the back alley. Am sure it left little round golden presents :o)
Have seen (and felt!!!) tons of skeeters. They were all around me as I was whacking at the tall grass. How about I start showing off photos of mosquitoes? You know I seriously thought about getting the camera out to take a photo of one but I dare not stand still or I'll have a gazillion trying to bite me! Just think of those mosquito repellent commerials - well, nothing puts a dent in these buggers here!!!
I figure they'll start clearing off after I get rid of the tall grass and cut back my over grown vines. At the rate I'm going...a winter freeze will work faster than me :o) ROLF!!!
~ Cat
When I headed to the county seat the other day, I saw mainly whites and sulfurs along the way. A couple of dark butterflies...which I think were PVST. Oh, and the GF are making a comeback. I came upon a cat today on the passies that looked like 5th instar and a few eggs here and there. Two of my PVST cats are finished pupating and two others will be finished very soon. One cat escaped and I haven't found it...must have pupated already....might have a butterfly flying around the house later on.
This gray Hairstreak was on the plumbago when I pulled in this evening. You can see someone tried to eat him, but those tails and deceptive eyespot worked like they were supposed to.
And my aunt sent another butterfly picture from WV. I think this is a Pearl Crescent which is neat since I generally only see the Phaeon Crescents.
I got to stay home this morning instead of working. For me, morning is the best time for butterflies. The Ruddy Daggerwing was back again. I got a couple pictures. Here is the first--
And one more--
When it comes to plants my zone envy is directed at the north, but with butterflies I am super jealous of my southern neighbors! I'm really going to have to plan a long weekend to head to south FL and visit the butterflies around there. I also want to see some of the endangered native bromeliads that don't grow up here around Tampa. That Ruddy Daggerwing is so awesome; I would love to see one in person, but thanks for the pictures so we can all share in the experience!
Melanie
I meant to add that the swallowtails will be fine laying down, but you have to be careful until they're dry. I've had them pupate lying on the ground and turn out fine, but make sure to keep other cats away from them while they are pupating as they are very susceptible to injury at that time. And don't touch the chrysalis until it hardens if you have to move it. As long as it hardens up okay, it should be fine from then on.
Thanks, Melanie!
Glad to see that Ruddy again!!! Males like to perch atop hills and tall branches to watch over their territory and scope out the area for females :o) Would be great if it were a female and you had stragler figs or mulberries and I can't remember what else they use as a larval host. Good luck!!!
And for the rest of you showing off butterflies photos...I'm gonna pay ya'll back in the fall season!!! Heh! Heh! Just wait and see :o) You know that's our best butterfly season with about 320 species recorded here I hope to get some shots of the not-so-frequent flyers :o) for my photo collection.
Oh and a GST egg I clipped from the orange tree hatched a few days ago. The bugger is growing well. Also forgot I found a Pipevine Swallowtail caterpillar starting to pupate at the ranch so I clipped the branch and brought it home to babysit. Guess I shouldn't whine too much about not seeing butterflies - I still get to see caterpillars and eggs during my non-working hours :o)
Ah...and I saw a bunch of Dainty Sulphurs laying eggs at the ranch this past Saturday but I was too lazy to dig up the plants they were on and transport them here. Will have to see if I can find some caterpillars next weekend to raise. Ya'll know how well Sulphur cats blend in with the green leaves - I don't even want to think of the teeny weeny size the Dainty's will be!!!
~ Cat
Here's the Pipevine pupating :o)
This message was edited Jul 29, 2008 9:56 PM
The pipevine cats are really neat! What is it on?
Nice shot Cat! Don't forget to add it to the bugfiles! http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/go/46/
Snuzer...I can't remember what that bush is called...I think it's either Allthorn Goat-Bush (Castela texana) or Berlandier Wolfberry (Lycium berlandieri) - don't hold me to either of those. I need to ask Dad next time I go to the ranch. We have so many different native species of brush growing out there I can't keep up with them.
~ Cat
I saw my first Spicebush Swallowtail today. Naturally the camera was where I wasn't. Both my host plants, Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) and Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) died over the winter. Are there any other hosts plants for these butterflies? These plants are growing somewhere close by but I want them raising in my yard. LOL Had it not been for Grandmaggie's picture in a couple of posts up I may not have realized what I was seeing. The orange spots on the hind wing were solid orange. Melanie may have pointed that fact out at sometime and I remembered it.
The bhttp://butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=1379 website lists these: perhaps prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum), tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana), camphor (Cinnamomum camphora), and redbay (Persea borbonia).
OMSTARS! I HAVE ALL OF THOSE! I forgot, I thought they were for Tiger and Giants! Oh, I don't have the camphor but I have two sweetbays, one redbay, two tulip trees, and the Hercule's Club. Meredith, I've got to go study! Thanks!
you are set!!!
YIPEE!!! I am set, Mrs Ed, aren't I. Was it Cat or Linda that said one time, "Plant it and they will come". I did, they have, and I'm happy! I just don't have all the butterflies and their plants set to memory yet. When I first started planting for butterflies, anytime someone on this thread talked about a host plant I'd make notes. Then, I started doing a lot of research to find all the butterflies that are in my area and went of a mission (buying spree) to find as many host plants as I could possibly find. I just can't always remember which plant matches which butterfly unless I re-read my diary notes. It's like going back to school, study, study, study, observe, observe, observe, until it becomes second nature. I just hope I've got enough brain cells left to kept it all in memory. ^_^
Mmm...I've only heard they will use sassafras, spicebush, and camphor with redbay being a "maybe". Hercules Club is Giant Swallowtail and the others all work for the Tiger Swallowtail. Basically, think of host plants in their family group. Spicebush like things in the laurel family. I don't recommend camphor trees as they are on the invasive species list here in FL. Giant STs eat things in the Citrus family, Black ST in the carrot family, skippers seem to love either the pea or bean (or both) family.
Also, notice that the link says they "perhaps" use some of those host plants. There's a big difference between theory and actuality in the scientific world. I would recommend going with plants that people have successfully reared the cats on.
I meant to add too, that just because a host plant grows in a certain area the cats will not necessarily use it. For example, Tiger STs use different trees, but in this part of Florida I've read they almost exclusively use the Sweetbay magnolia. So even though I have a cherry tree, I don't have high hopes that they will use it when there are magnolias everywhere. There is also a regional plant preference to take into consideration.
This message was edited Jul 30, 2008 10:30 PM
Cordele....I am a firm believer in that saying "If you plant it - they will come" - I think everyone on here says it too :o)
You sound like me in the beginning. I'd take notes on which larval hosts butterflies would use and then I'd traipse around the ranch looking over the native plants for eggs and caterpillars. I'd sit back with binoculars in hand looking over plants in the comfort and shade of the golf cart :o) No sense bending over in the hot sun ya know!
I still take my camera with me and take photos of ovipositing butterflies. I then go check out the plant and grab my books to figure out what it is if I can't identify it :o)
Yep, lots of research and observation...and it still isn't quite all committed to memory :o) Then again we're talking over 300 species here to research! ROLF!!! Hence always carrying around Jim Brock's caterpillar book and the Kaufman Focus guide as well a caterpillar larval host list that was compiled by a local entomologist with emphasis on our native plants :o)
~ Cat
Mellanie, I thought it was an unusual list as well. That's why I thought of it right away when I saw Deb's question. I thought I'd share just in case anyone here could back any of those oddball ones up (those ones that are usually for TSTs) : )
Finally! They should have been here long ago...in my yard, that is. Love that Gregg's Mistflower!
Oops...called it a salvia...I knew better!
This message was edited Jul 31, 2008 1:10 PM
gorgeous!
I'm so happy they are finally there! Congrats
hey, where do butterflies go when it rains?
They hang out underneath leaves like this guy. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=5303491 Or they find a place up in a tree where they are protected. Pretty much, the same places they go to rest at night. Dad is a woodworker and he has a stack of logs outside piled up. I read that lots of butterflies like to rest in the little crevices between stacked logs although I haven't seen any in there yet! But hopefully that gives you an idea of what they look for.
ah, well we just had a thunderstorm and I was worried about my baby. lol
Got this pretty one today out the front window.
Nanny, gorgeous!!! what is that salvia?