What hornworm is up on my Arizona Ash Tree? I told the darn thing it was welcome to eat the tree, but I don't want the frass falling on me!
Note: I now believe this is a Waved Sphinx Moth caterpillar...another one was ID'd on another thread and it sure looked like mine!
This message was edited Oct 6, 2008 5:10 PM
Is this a black swallowtail cat? I thought I've only seen black easterns, but this cat on my parsley sure looks like the picture in my book for the black swallowtail.
Jmorth, I love the mid-air photos!
Mrs. Ed, that Red Admiral is soooooo gorgeous!
Beclu, cool cat. I put some black swallowtail cats with the fennel in the garage for hurricane Ike. One of them formed a chrysalis on another plant that I'd stowed in there. I took out the plant and put it by the front door to watch. Wouldn't ya know it -- it emerged and left and I missed it!
Gulf frit
Everyone has some great shots! But I have to ask MrsEd, what camera and lens are you using?
beclu....I think there is only one Black (Eastern) Swallowtail; someone please correct me if they aren't one in the same. A lot of us just don't use the "Eastern". I think both names refer to 'Papilio polyxenes'. Maybe getting it wrong, let me know if so.
Shelia,
I have a Pentax DSLR (K100D). That lens is a Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom. I can get nice close shots without the macro actually. But when I'm really close that's what I switch on.
You always have clean close photos, just had to ask.
EBST and BST are abbreviations used interchangeably for the same species. There's a couple of black swallowtails that are only in the western states, but don't seem to be real common...at least, I don't think so. They don't seem to come here to Texas.
Ever since one of these Green Lynx spiders killed that poor ZLW, I've noticed that they are pretty common around here. I killed about half a dozen within a few days. We usually don't have very many of those. I've also realized that the spiders who are usually the most common around here seem to be either missing or present in much smaller numbers. Here's one Green Lynx I spotted by the road with a dead skipper. Of course, I killed it.
Mrs. Ed, it's a good thing I like you!!! :)
Hey Nanny, if I didn't adore you so much I wouldn't bother teasing! :D
i took some more admiral pictures yesterday but haven't downloaded yet. I'm heading out of town today for butterfly and bird watching. though it is cloudy, I hope to get something good.
Had a few new ones on today's jaunt. Please help me on the IDs.
Firstly, I think this is a Northern Crescent. I'm not sure though. It was bigger than a Pearl Crescent.
Pearl Crescent
I think American Copper?
Painted lady. I have tons of pictures of these, but just can't resist taking more.
Another attempt at a red admiral! I never noticed the blue before.
and finally, a series of 4 of what I think is a Male Bronze Copper.
2
3
4… that's all folks
I can't decipher if this is a Question Mark and a Comma or 2 Commas on the rotting watermelon.
This message was edited Sep 28, 2008 9:45 PM
Woohoo Linda...saving future bfs!
Mrs Ed...love the two coppers, wish we had them here!
Nanny...can't give you an answer for sure but it would appear the one on the right might be a comma by the mark, but they look so much alike in shape and coloring.
Here is the link to compare. http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabambc/frames-2species.asp?sp1=Polygonia-interrogationis&sp2=Polygonia-comma
This message was edited Sep 28, 2008 6:16 PM
Thanks Shelia. they were a first for me. Do you think my IDs are right?
Elphaba, what a lovely picture of a long tailed skipper. I don't have the skill, or possibly patience, to take such a pretty picture. I certainly have the subjects! They seem to be in love with the mexican bush sage and are draped all over it.
It's cooled off here quite a bit, into the low 80s, and the butterflies really seem to appreciate it and are out in full force. I couldn't get the palamedes swallowtails to pose, they are flutterers, but there were up to four on the pentas at a time.
My first zebra long wing of the season!
Tiger Swallowtail stopped to pose for a picture.
Pretty visitor on my Pentas today.
Painted Lady and bee turf war.
Painted Lady on Dahlia 'Sept. Morn'.
Sulphur on quartz.
whoaaa, what's with that gorgeous quartz?
Great pics Jenny!!
Yep Sheila it's the only BST... aka. EBST :-)
Way to go finding the spiders Linda!
Lovely subjects and captures jmorth!
Mrs. Ed, Your IDs are all correct! Very special siting the Bronze Copper. Sheila and I don't get them here, nice to see them in your pictures though. :-S
We released a couple Gulf Frits on Saturday...
Also collected a few more EBST's..... 3 of them had T-wasps (or chalcidflies). (Ickamatic)! Still have about 5-6 out of 9 I am hoping are alright.
Painted Lady
Oh meant to say ... nanny, The bfly in question is a comma, lol!
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We have lots of these Blue Darners and the larger Red dragonflies too.
And one Giant ST, a male attempting to patrol amidst a slew of Frits who did their best to discourage him.
A monarch playing beat the clock, laying eggs all over the MW!
Last but not least..... A lovely Cloudless Sulphur dotting my Cassia with eggs.
I am finally getting some significant butterfly action... Yaay!!
(It's been a rough Summer.)
Pretty pics. Love that Painted Lady and congrats of the gulf frits!
Mrs. Ed, what fabulous variety you have! Those coppers are really neat.
Borderandjacks, WOW! Gorgeous pics. I used to have Mexican Bush Sage when I lived in California. The butterflies and hummingbirds were crazy about it. I keep trying to grow sage here and it is just bug riddled.
Jmorth, you always have beautiful pictures but I have to agree with Mrs. Ed, you've got some gorgeous rocks there!
GP, lovely gulf frit and that penta really pops!
Have you seen the lottery commercials where they show the strange ways that people pick their numbers? Clearly, there is a number 2 on the wing of this poor dying polydamas. It's a sign!
Great pictures everyone!!!
Nice to see you online Debnes...missing you lately. Thanks for helping on the ids, not so good at that myself. But a whole lot better because of DG!!
DH and I took a trip out to the FW Nature Center yesterday and took pics of the buffalo, egerts, wildflowers and a few bfs. This one greeted us at the main building. With the flash of blue I automatically knew it was a pipevine. Was wishing I could take it home with me. I haven't had one at my house. It was a little tattered, but welcome site.
