After waiting for more than a year the polydamas (I hope its a polydamas) found the pipevine. I was waiting for ANY cat to find the pipevine.
I found this website that posts photos of the different stages of not only this butterfly but lots of others. I have had a hard time finding a book that shows all stages so this is going to be handy for me. http://www.mariposasmexicanas.com/battus_p_polydamas.htm
This message was edited Sep 24, 2008 8:01 PM
Congratulations Delisa!Those sure look like Polydamas to me. I've had lots of them this year and raised 18 cats. I've been hoping for a Pipevine ST or two, but have never even seen one here.
Thanks for the great website link!
Cathy
Congrats Delisa!!! I saw a Poly in my yard a couple of years ago and now that my dutchman's pipevines are large enough to sustain a few hundred caterpillars I've not seen a single Poly butterfly!!!
That caterpillar is fantastic!!!
~ Cat
Thanks I thought it was fantastic also!
oh yeah Delisa!!!!!! Congrats
I will try to send more Polys your way, Cat. I'm beginning to think the flight cage at MOSI will soon be filled with nothing but the Polys. I swear, every time I go take cuttings to feed the cats, I find more eggs! Lucky for me, I found some pipevine ST eggs a few weeks ago. I always try to catch them before they hatch on one of the tropical pipevines and I relocate them to a tank filled with yummy, native pipevine.
Melanie
I wish I could send you some of my Poly cats. Once they find the pipevine, you'll be inundated! lol
I've had to buy 5 pipevine plants this summer so far. I've brought in somewhere around 200 cats. Not all made it to chrysalis stage, but I've released a quite a few. I should be keeping a record of them.
Just like Mellie, everytime I go out to bring in some more leaves for the cage I find more eggs or cats. Just brought in close to 30 more.
Good luck with your new babies, Delisa!
Terrie
