KaylyRed, it looks like a Giant Swallowtail to me. Maybe, someone else can confirm that. : )
~Lucy
DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 41
Yah, I think so too. I just had one the other day. hard to get a picture of the wingspan because it kept flitting around.
After searching around the internet, I concluded it must be a giant swallowtail, too. It really was enormous.
Are they fairly common?
Such wonderful pictures. I 'need' a new camera.
I haven't had the giant swallowtail ,, yet. but my butterflies are zooming now.
Ooh, a Spicebush! I'm not sure how prevalent Giant STs are in the rest of the country, but because they use citrus as a host plant, we get a lot of them here in FL.
I know some cats have high mortality rates, but I still feel sad when I lose them. My long-tailed skipper cats hatched but I've already lost two, and then I lost two of the larger ones today. I think maybe they have trouble molting, but they're too small for me to get a good look. I say that because their bodies seem kind of shrunken and their tails just look odd. I also think sulphurs have a high rate of death, but so far I've only lost one. Just my experience though...
Melanie
Mellie, sorry about your skippers. Oh,, I just remembered that something was eating on my heirloom beans that I was picking today. But it was the bean pod not the plant. Will have to check closer tomorrow.
ooh Elaine, I was so glad to see your Spicebush photo this morning, I just saw my first one yesterday morning at the Shelter when I was walking the dogs. He was kind of faded, not as bright as yours, but he's the first one I've ever seen, another butterfly milestone!!!
Mel, I'm sorry for your losses. It's a terrible feeling, losing these beauties, isn't it?
And now that I really know butterflies, I just HATE running in to one when I'm driving. I hated it before, but now that I truly know the delicacy of these lovely creatures, I can't bear to see one fly at my windshield, it makes me sick.
Thea, I had the same thought the other day! Do you KNOW how difficult it is to dodge butterflies in a 4 x4 Truck??
...then I guess I shouldn't tell you what the last thing is that goes through a butterfly's mind when it hits your windshield...
Hehe...I dodge and brake for butterflies, too. People think I'm crazy. All except my husband and kids, that is, because they're sensitive souls, too. :)
Well, when Texas has one of those big population explosion of snout butterflies, they get so thick sometimes that there's nothing you can do to avoid them. Butterflies all over the grills, the windshields, the roads...gruesome! People line up at the carwash often to wash the remains off. But just think...at least people are driving less now that the gas takes such a big bite out of their pay. The airlines are cutting back also. These should cut down on pollution and global warming at least. But our economy is hurting pretty bad. That's a whole different story, sorry to ramble off the subject.
interesting thought. Do the bad economy and high gas prices help the butterfly population?
hmmmmm
Well hey, maybe SOMEthing good will come out of it!!!
Is this my spicebush swallowtail that you all helped me identify in July? Thanks!
They are still very busy in my yard. GM
Gorgeous pic GM! I think that is a spicebush.
BTW, Mrs. Ed, enter all of those photos if you can! I still like skip the best, but they are all great shots.
So yesterday I had ONE of those skippers, today there were about 5 all over the phlox. Lots of activity this week. I caught a black swallowtail laying eggs!!!! So does that mean that these will overwinter, or will they do their thing now. Still seems early to me.
Not sure Mrs Ed. I looked back at some pictures from last year. I released a BST as late as Oct last year.
You go, girl!
Sorry it's out of focus, I was practically running towards her while shooting.
and here's one…
another red-spotted purple..I put this watermelon out for the raccoons the other night..the bugs and butterflies seem to be enjoing too!
And this lovely painted lady.
And this little one is who??
another shot
Only shot of this one
Good going Mrs Ed - it's always exciting to see a butterfly laying eggs!!!
Yep, Texas is having a Snout explosion...although this one doesn't seem as bountiful as last year's. Still thousands of them mixed in with lysides on windshields.
Nanny...the last one is either a Comma or Question Mark...can't tell from the angle though. Put out some butterfly brew or fruit - most brushfoot butterflies will come to it as that Red Spotted Purple did :o)
~ Cat
Nanny....The wee one that you have two pictures of is a Silvery Checkerspot. See if you agree.
http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/images?l=1721
I think that is it Shelia!! Thanks so much all!
Cat, that one had been headed for the watermelon but I scared it and that was the best I could do!! Drat :)
Oooo, I think I had a Giant Swallowtail!!!
the back
Pretty! Yep, that's just what mine looked like. It seems to love my coneflowers. :)
Yep. Were yours flapping like crazy? I wished it would stop so I could have gotten the wingspan.
Look at all those Giant STs! And notice what color they seem to prefer- I have a book that says butterflies prefer that shade of purple so I'm trying to notice when I see it.
I had my first ever Pipevine ST emerge this afternoon! Of course, it was right at the beginning of our quarterly staff meeting so I had to wait until I got home to take pictures. I highly recommend using the flash on your camera as it really makes the blue irridescence shine.
Here he is preparing for takeoff! I love how they even have the blue scales on their body.
This skipper was slurping echinacea and hanging on for dear life - there was a thunderstorm coming.
My long-tailed skipper cat built himself two elaborate silken palaces, but I had to open the critter keeper and in the process I destroyed them. I tucked him in a leaf so he'd be nice and comfortable. You can see how he's changing color and preparing to make a chrysalis. Tomorrow Mom and I are going to a butterfly lecture at our favorite local nursery so I hope to get some good advice and lots of pictures!
Melanie
I just took a few shots of a Monarch! The first I have seen this year. She was nectaring on my Vitex but I didn't see her lay eggs. I have a lot of Milkweed up in the front yard so hopefully she did.
Great shots everyone, maybe I can get a few in the next weeks.
This message was edited Aug 8, 2008 5:23 PM
Nanny, Kayly and Mrs. Ed, your GST blew me away! Wow great photos.
Melanie, your pipevine is beautiful. Congrats.
Congrats to you to Sheila on the monarch spotting. I bet you will soon have tons of cats!
This message was edited Aug 8, 2008 7:44 PM
Mine had it wings just going crazy for a few minutes! I saw it out the window and off I went!
What moth is this? I suspect that I either have a bunch of cocoons of this one emerging in the garage, or this same one keeps coming in. This is about the 4th time I've seen one in there, and I know I got 3 out!
Another Black Swallowtail on the Dill!
