Congrats on the Julia LW Cat!! I wish we got those here, they are beautiful. I loved watching them at the Butterfly Exhibit that was here is March. So full of energy!
Gardenpop.... Pretty White Peacock...that is another we don't get here. Guess what is here will be leaving before long. :-(
This message was edited Nov 10, 2008 7:05 AM
I'm with you guys on letting the Gulf Frits fend for themselves as cats. My huge Blue Crown PV has produced several hundred of them this year. As I said in earlier threads they were pupating all over, however when I find the chrysalids I will place them in a cage. One made a chrysalis on the eave above the back door and then it was suddenly gone. I believe a gecko or a wren may have taken it... This is why I keep a few of them in secure mesh cages or quick and easy gladwares as I find them a little more vulnerable in the chrysalis stage.
Great pics Mellie!
GP your WPeacock pic is gorgeous!
Love those Buckeyes Linda and Sheila!
Cat...... I'm loving all the butterfly action down your way!
:-S
Asters have gone to seed, but there is plenty of the Sulphur Cosmos to keep them fed...
This message was edited Nov 10, 2008 10:21 AM
Sheila...that was cute...those "big wings"! Pretty Buckeye too! At least seeing that Malachite once kind of made up for my hummies being gone.
So I can tell by the pictures here Painted Ladies are very common - but not in Florida. In fact, my "Butterflies of Florida" book says they are "rare to occasional". Imagine my surprise to come home today (boss let us off early, too) and see one on the porterweed! It got scared and flew up in the oak tree, but I waited a few minutes and it came back. This my first time seeing one in my yard, or Florida, for that matter. Between this and seeing the Red Spotted-Purple last week, it makes me wonder what kind of butterfly season we're in for.
So I have two cats right now (besides the zebra STs) and I think one is a Palamedes and one is a Spicebush. I've been hoping the one I think is a Spicebush will molt and turn green so I can put them side by side and take pictures. I think he's getting close to molting because you can kind of see through his skin where the eyespots are going to be. He already had the two in front, but now I can see the two behind those. I've been reading books and the internet to try to understand how to tell the two species apart. I think I have an easier way than what most folks say, but I'm going to wait until I have visual proof before I give my theory. Look forward to it!
Melanie
LOL @ Sheila's pic too..:-).
Mola~ You're right, the first pic of the tiny moth in your post
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=5769850
is a moth. Notice the antennae are long and out to the sides or back. Moths also have a sort of hairy filament along the antennae, sorta like a fish skeleton. The bushier the filament the more likely a male. When I find
Cat's right about the black one, some kind of duskywing/skipper.
Skippers and Duskywings have curved clubs on the tips of two thin hair antennae. Exactly like the in your post
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=5769941
I looked all over for a match to your velvety black one, but to no avail..:-/..
This one I spotted yesterday was about 1.75-2" WS, and looks like one of the 141 species of Melanolophia moths.
Yes Mellie, It would certainly be cool to get a side by side of the 2 swallowtail cats...
LOL, Sheila, that was a cute caption, and a neat picture of the skipper trying on some larger wings. : )
~Lucy
Such pretty butterflies. Really enjoyed going back and looking at all of them.
Cat's butterfly is on the random pictures of the day.
Sheila, cute picture you captured. Here is a sulphur on my orchid in the open greenhouse.
Elaine
Thanks all...
Elaine, nice sulphur on the orchid. Question...what is the reason for the open greenhouse? Do you cover with plastic when the temps get low?
Great photos ya'll!!! It's good to see winter hasn't slowed us down too much :o) Love that orchid EF!!!
I missed out seeing that random photo of the day :o(
Today is a holiday for me...so was outside checking the passion vines.
Zebras on parade!!!
~ Cat
Photo of zebra heliconian caterpillars - they must have hatched a couple of days ago and I didn't notice them. I brought them inside to raise and photodoc their life cycle.
This message was edited Nov 11, 2008 9:51 AM
Debnes, was there confusion about moth/butterfly? I guess their differences are similar in my mind as the difference between Gobies and Blennies, tiny coral reef fish. Blennies are just stiffer, or something.
Moths are mostly nighttime critters, and generally have the feathery antennae. Then there's the witch moth that flutters very clumsily during the day. I wish I hadn't read where superstition has it that they're bad luch, or an omen of death!!!!!! There are a lot of them around my house, and ometimes they make their way inside. I can't find my photo of one, or I'd post a photo...
There aren't any nighttime butterflies, are there?
Oh not at all Mola...really sorry if I came off as such. Was only elaborating on differences because some of the moths resemble skippers and duskywing butterflies.
There are quite a few diurnal moths actually. They mimic the duskies and skippers very well.
I thought I had posted a pic of this melanolophia moth...just now noticed I didn't, LOL.
I haven't ever seen a Black Witch moth here where I live, but Cat and a few others have. I am not superstitious... and if I were I would see it as good luck to have them. They are so beautiful!!!
Cat, do you have a pic of one? Great move on the ZLW documentation. If you make a thread post the url here so we can follow along. :-S
The Painted Lady was still in the yard today.
I had three Polydamas emerge today!
And it wouldn't be my yard without the Gulf Frits. I had three of them trying to dominate the porterweed. While they were fighting it out, I saw a Zebra Longwing fly through which was a nice surprise since I haven't seen one in several weeks (at least not at my house, the museum has had some).
Melanie
First pic from today.
2nd pic.
3rd pic.
4th pic. What kind is this? I don't remember ever seeing one before.
Your last one is a Red Admiral! They're pretty common in some parts of the country, but I rarely see them in FL.
Melanie
Thanks, Melanie..I didn't think I had ever seen one before.
Congrats on the Polys emerging Melanie! Nice pics gardenpom. I love the Admirals but haven't had but one this year.
grrrrr, just posted and it got lost in never never land. this happened last night also......
anyway. Sheila. I have a temp. greenhouse. Just part of the top and one side covered with plastic for now mostly over my orchids, with a floodlight on at night for warmth. The good thing about living in in semi tropical south.. lol. Think I need a long trip to Florida. sighhhh.
At least you have the makings of a GH! That is something I doubt I will ever get here, unless I take over the side of the house where the a/c is. That has crossed my mind.
Gots lots of photos of the Black Witch moth. They are fairly common here. They come to the bait in the evening or if I put out bait in a shady spot they sometimes show up during the daytime too. They tend to perch under the eaves of houses - I've seen up to nine at one time at the ranch - the house has a dark brown trim so they like roosting in dark places. My house in the city here has dark cedar beams so I usually find one every so often. They are truly big beautiful moths :o)
As for the superstitions for badluck or harbinger for death - there's also another one saying they bring good luck. Now considering I saw those nine at one time earlier this year...nobody I know of has died or won the lottery...so go figure!!! ROFL!!!
Photo of a male Black Witch (Ascalapha odorata)...which we lovingly called a Warlock :o)
~ Cat
Info on Black Witch moths: Sighting records and its natural and cultural history
http://www.texasento.net/witch.htm
This message was edited Nov 12, 2008 2:04 AM
Photo of female Black Witch Moth at brew. Note the female has a white 'rick rack' pattern on the wings.
~ Cat
Mola...
The website link I provided to our Texas Entomologist, Mike Quinn, says it is very common on the Caribbean Islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. It was also sighted in the Bahamas, St-Kitts, Montserrat, Dominica, St-Lucia. Jamaica, Puerto-Rico and the Virgin Islands. They also occur on all the main Hawaiian Islands.
Hmmm...was just re-reading through that website - saw it said this:
On Cat Island, Bahamas, they are locally known as Money Moths or Moneybats, and the legend is that if they land on you, you will come into money.
There is an island named after me? WOW!!! Now show me the money!!! :o)
~ Cat
Wooohooo!!! I had four Julia Longwings in my yard a couple of hours ago! FOUR!!! That is unheard of! Am lucky if I get a stray one once or twice a year. Four!!! Whew!!! I spent about an hour watching them and hoping one would make use of the passifloras but they were all to intent on nectaring from the lantana bush. Am wondering if there are other passion vines around the neighborhood - I need to drive around and snoop :o)
Also got to see one settle down for the night. It went to roost under the hibiscus plant leaves in my front flower bed :o)
~ Cat
Cat, lucky you! Do they fly the same way theat Zebra Longwings do? I adore watching how they just barely flutter their wings.
I visited Cat Island a few years ago. Very flat and dry, the water and reefs are gorgeous, and the people very laid back and friendly. A quiet place, I liked it a lot!
Melissa
Got to let a Polydamas and a Zebra Swallowtail go this evening. Usually Mom does the honors while I'm at work, but she's sick and was in bed when I came home. Both butterflies took off to the oak trees to find a nice place to shelter for the night. Since I've been getting better at spotting butterflies, I think a lot of them must live up in the oak trees at night. I see them flying around and through them quite often. We have several grand oaks (meaning really big and old) and the one on the corner is where the hummingbirds were hanging out earlier this year.
Melanie (yeah, I'm a tree hugger and a caterpillar petter)
Oh, my Spicebush cat is now definitely about to molt into his green instar. His head capsule is hanging low and he's hiding in his shelter. Expect pictures in a day or two!
I have not posting, but I have been reading this thread every day. It is fascinating.
I raised an Eastern Black Swallowtail and a female Monarch this summer -- they were my first to raise. It's too cold for butterflies now, but there is one Monarch chrysalis hanging on a wrought iron post in my backyard. I guess he will winter there. I will watch him eclose next spring.
Thanks everyone for this wonderful thread.
Martha
Martha, don't be a stranger! Just because it's not butterfly season up north doesn't mean we can't still talk butterflies or plan next year's garden!
Melanie
Welcome Martha...and Melanie is right...although ya'll up north might not have butterflies...ya'll can talk about it. As for me down here in sunny south Texas...the fall season is the peak butterfly season for us...and yes, you'll often catch me gloating it :o) Just kidding!!! Remember we might get some 320 different species in this area but none of those are the Tigers!!!
Congrats on raising and releasing the BST and Monarchs.
As for the Julias...they are more of a graceful flier...they seem to flap their wings more slowly...unlike the Zebras that seem to flutter around the flowers.
Perhaps the Julias will be back tomorrow and I might be able to watch one oviposit. Wish there was a way to tell the difference between the GF, Zebra and Julia eggs - I'll just have to monitor the passiflora vines as they hatch out.
~ Cat
Wait. Melanie and Cat. Mississippi is not that far north. We have had an extraordinarily cool fall. I'm not seeing butterflies now.
The Julias are indeed beautiful. I've never seen one before. Cat, please photograph what you find. SE Texas and South Fla. are the only habitats for Julias in the entire US. Indeed, you are lucky ones!
Here is my monarch as she first stretched her wings in very early fall.
There are two plants missing in my garden -- Mistflowers and Porterweed. I've never seen either here, but I'm going to check around to add them to my butterfly plant collection.
Martha
This message was edited Nov 12, 2008 10:39 PM
Only had a tiny Porterweed, but can share some W TX Mistflower seeds Martha. They reseed great so I am sure you can spread them now and have plants next year. Send me a dmail.
No it is a Perennial but does come up from seeds easily.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/53449/
Beautiful Monarch Martha! Nice to see you chiming in girlfriend!!!,
As for the one Monarch in the chrysalid, don't expect it to overwinter. They are migratory, and it should eclose and fly south if the cold doesn't prevent it. We are expecting near freezing weather in the next couple days, and it might have better luck being inside. Bottom line, Monarchs overwinter as adults.
When did it pupate? Do you know the exact day? Monarch morph time is from 1 to 2 weeks depending on how warm it is.
I just made a couple lists of butterflies and how they overwinter
(All with the "P" overwinter as pupa) Anyone can feel free to copy this list and put it on a document for future reference..:-)
All Swallowtail species overwinter as pupa except in the deep southern range (P)
Cabbage White P
Mustard White (range north of MS, P)
Checkered White P
Sara Orangetip (west cost range, P)
Falcate Orangetip P
Clouded Sulphur (as larva or pupa)
Orange Sulphur (as larva or pupa)
Viceroy (as larva)
Silver-spotted Skipper (as larva or pupa)
Georgia Satyr (as larva)
Hackberry Emperor (as larva)
Tawny Emperor (as larva)
Baltimore Checkerspot (as larva)
Red-spotted Purple (as larva)
White Admiral (northern, as larva)
Eastern Tailed-Blue (as larva)
Gray Hairstreak P
Red-banded Hairstreak (as larva)
California Hairstreak (western range, as egg)
Striped Hairstreak (as egg)
Banded Hairstreak (as egg)
"Olive" Juniper Hairstreak P
"Siva" Juniper Hairstreak (western, P)
Great Purple Hairstreak P
Little Yellow (P or adult in the southern range)
Pearl Crescent (as larva)
Silvery Checkerspot (as larva)
Field Crescent (western N American range, as larva)
Harvester (as larva)
American Copper (northern range, as larva)
Coral Hairstreak (as egg)
Eastern Pine Elfin P
Western Pine Elfin (P western and Great Lakes range)
Spring Azure P
Silvery Blue P
Square-spotted Blue (west coast range, P)
Common Checkered-Skipper (as larva)
Least Skipper (as larva)
Wild Indigo Duskywing (as larva)
Common Sootywing (as larva)
Eastern Pygmy-blue
Butterflies that overwinter as adults, and/or migrate:
Monarch
QueenQuestion Mark
Commas
Tortoiseshells
Mourning Cloak
American Snout
Goatweed Leafwing
Great Southern White
Sleepy Orange
Southern Dogface
Cloudless Sulphur
Gulf Fritillary
American Lady
Painted Lady
West Coast Lady
Red Admiral
Variegated Fritillary (as adult in deep southern range, larva elsewhere)
Buckeye
White Peacock
Mangrove Skipper
Zebra Longwing
Longtailed Skipper
Barred Yellow
Dainty Sulphur
These are just a few of the most common ones. Ones not on the list, just ask me and I will research them.
Debnes
