We came from here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/909073/
Well, I went to the USF plant festival today. Wandered through the butterfly garden and found this skipper on lantana.
DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 50
This Long-Tailed Skipper was missing almost all of his right wing.
There were lots of Monarchs - I found a nearly full-grown cat and was walking around with him on my hand. It was fun handing vendors money and seeing their reaction. I bought a vanda orchid and the lady was amazed at the colors on the Monarch cat. I'm thinking, "You're impressed by this! Look at your orchids!" But I guess maybe she's used to the orchids. Nature's beauty comes in many forms.
Here's a Gulf Frit. There are tons of these around right now. I just watched a male doing his best courtship dance out in the sideyard, but the female was not impressed. Better luck next time!
I was searching for Giant ST cats in the Hercules' Club tree, but found this Monarch instead. I did see a Giant ST fly by, but no pictures for me today.
This White Peacock has had two near escapes! I also saw Zebra Longwings and a Pipevine ST but couldn't get them on camera.
So on Fridays I generally buy lunch and I was walking back to the office after getting some Quizno's (mmm...toasty). I walk by a parking lot that has plumbagos landscaped around it. I notice there are tons of Cassius Blues on it and then I see two of them making babies! I wish I had my camera, but I generally don't see butterflies downtown - let alone butterflies in the heat of passion!
When I got home today I saw this Crescent flying in the neighbors' yard (which is full of frogfruit).
Last thing - I bought a Red Bay tree since I want Spicebush and Palamedes STs. I got home and was checking it over since it has leaf damage. I didn't find any caterpillars, but I found this mysterious looking thing. It looks like moths that I've seen, but the little mesh bag it's in is new to me. Any ideas who this guy is?
Melanie
Two pics taken two days ago.
Closer shot.
Nice shots! The White Peacocks are my dad's favorite. It seems like there have been more of them around lately, too.
Melanie
Thank you Melanie, I don't recall seeing them before, but maybe I just missed them.
Mellie...that is a strange looking thing indeed! Never seen anything like it either.
~ Cat
The hummies had their bloomers in a bunch today!
I made a fresh batch of nectar and filled up some feeders then headed off to the back forty for a look around. When I got back the hummies were squeaking and fussing and didn't want to get close to this feeder. Upon closer inspection I can see why. The Tropical Leafwing butterflies have claimed it as theirs!!! Seeing this really made my day :o)
~ Cat
Well, it's sitting in its own Gladware home so whenever it comes out I'll let you know what it is.
Melanie
One brave hummie ventured in for a sip after two of the leafwings flew off.
Not to worry...I put out another hummie feeder further away to keep the hummies happy.
~ Cat
Was out at the NABA park today. Got to see a Red Rim (Biblis hyperia) :o) These are rare for us but I still get to see one or two a year.
Here's one near a baited log. Also up in the far right corner is a Mexican Bluewing.
~ Cat
Also a nice cooperative Malachite (Siproeta stelenes).
~ Cat
...and as usual...Queens abound!
~ Cat
Wow that last picture with all the queens, bloodflower and mistflower is amazing. I wish I had that in my yard. : )
Meredith...
It's nice to see lots of Queens and they always impress the folks who show up to the butterfly park for the first time - but when you're out looking for uncommon and rare butterflies you kind of wish all the Queens would fly up to about 18 inches above the plants and stay there so you can see what other butterflies are left on the blossoms :o) We feel the same way about Snouts and Lysides. We get them by the hundreds if not thousands some times during the year.
~ Cat
Wow, just the sheer number is one beautiful sight! I'm mesmerized with the Malachite's coloring, I've never seen such unusual colored butterfly in real life. Thank ~Cat for sharing the pix.
Echoing Meredith and Kim about your pics Cat! What a wonderful bunch of tropicals there at the park! And the Malachite, yeah! What about that flock of Queens!?! WOW!
I have about 21 pics from this weekend that I would like to share. I told you all things have picked up around here.... finally!
Here goes~
This Clouded Skipper (of many) lit on Ben's hand. I was really taken by how the sunlight came through the vitreous spots on its wings.
Several Painted Ladies... This one enjoying the Asters
Painted Lady and Monarch sharing Blue Mistflower
I took so many pics the last few days that it was hard to figure out which ones to post, lol. I may not actually post all 21, only most of them.
A Gulf Frit Cat... 1 of about 100 in various stages on the Blue Crown Passionvines.
Then looking over a short distance, this one was eclosing
I don't really collect Gulf Frit cats anymore because there are so many of them, and they do well right out on the vines... However, this one was attached to my LawnBuddy cart, and I took it into a cage for it to eclose. Here it is after release, quickly finding the native Asters. I sure love this sea of purple flowers!
Meanwhile all 9 of the Monarchs I have are progressing nicely... (less one that pupated a few days ago.) Here are the other 8 cats yesterday morning. Not all visible in shot...
Deb, the G.F. on Aster deserve a place on this year DG's contest! It's beautiful!
The cats!!!! Ooooh they're such cuties!!!
Thank You Kim... I am going to place some entries in the contest, it will be a real hard thing to decide which ones.
Here's what was going on this morning(4 of 8)... I moved the other 4 to a new cage with a new branch of MW.
I was watering out in the garden and when I came to the Hercules Club (Zanthoxylum clava) there was this distinctive odor all of a sudden. I recognized it immediately, and it could only be one thing... Osmeterim (Swallowtail Stinkhorns). I looked and found an enormous cat clinging to the thorny trunk. They camouflage so well!! I had been checking that plant and totally missed them. I put it in a Glad cage with some HC. Went back to watering and found another one!! I have them in separate Glad cages for now.
Okay, I decided not to post as many as I thought.
Last one for now, Painted Lady on the same Asters as the above GFrit. Another pic I am considering for the contest. Which one of the 2 do you think, Kim and everyone?
Thanks for indulging me folks! It's been so much better butterflying around here lately. I was getting worried.
Debnes
This is only the second Monarch we have seen this year. Hopefully next year (and a lot of milkweed planted) will be different.
Barb
Oh my, sorry I posted the last one twice... I got interrupted and my thought train disembarked, LOL!
:-S
double post, see next post.
This message was edited Oct 13, 2008 3:26 PM
Bj~ That's Viceroy!!! I would love to see one here! Congratulations! Lovely pic!
(The teller is the 2 horizontal lines flowing across each of the upper & lower wings ~ Monarch lines are all angled vertically.)
Here is a pic for comparison
This message was edited Oct 13, 2008 3:28 PM
Deb. so this is a viceroy? What do they use as hostplant please? I'm now totally confused!
The host plants for Viceroy are Cherry and Willow. Chances are they are using a Willow there in FL. Keep on planting the Milkweed, you will surely get Monarchs very soon.
Kim, Your pic is of a male Monarch. The veins are narrower on male Monarchs than on Females. The Monarch I last posted is a female with very broad veins, and the veins all run vertically like yours.
This message was edited Oct 13, 2008 3:38 PM