And the cat on the Spicebush. I also just found a GST cat about the same size. Sure hope they both make it.
DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 62
Looks like you've been busy Linda!
I know with all these little hatchlings of Forbes Silkmoths I'll be sneaking over to the neighbor's yard to take fresh cuttings of their ash tree to keep the buggers fed :o)
Here are a few of the day old buggers :o)
~ Cat
Awww! They are cute, Cat!
Those are really darling, Cat!
A lot of the big silkmoth hatchlings have horizontal stripes, that they lose pretty quickly. Here's a link to a picture of some of my sweetbay silkmoth hatchlings - they've all finally cocooned!
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/PucPuggy/SweetbayMothHatchlings.jpg
Sherry
The babies all look adorable, but we know they will soon eat you (or your neighbor) out of house and home! LOL!
Linda the VF chrysalis will be a beauty, I just got to raise some this year. I haven't seen much postings of the spicebush cats, nice.
Ask and ye shall receive!
Now, I also have a smaller Spicebush cat that was getting ready to molt to the final instar the other night. Naturally, I wanted to watch. So we sat there all night watching baseball and finally, around 11:30 the cat starts doing the stretchy thing. Except that he keeps it up for like ten minutes and nothing is happening.
I've had to help cats molt before so I went and got a straight pin and thought maybe he hadn't secured himself to the leaf well enough. I took the pin and tried to pull a little of the outer skin loose so I could pin it down. But that still didn't seem to help plus he started leaking a little fluid.
It looked like he wasn't able to puff himself up enough to break the outer skin. So, I thought since they start splitting at the head, maybe I should try there. So I became Dr. Melanie, Caterpillar Surgeon. Very carefully, I took the pin and tried to grab the outer skin at the top of his head. It tore, and his osmeterium (stink horns) popped right out. I don't think he was mad though because he put them away pretty fast. I held his back end again and he started slipping out of the old skin. He struggled a bit once he got around the bottom third so I hooked the pin and pulled the dead skin off.
I've had cats get injured before and with Spicebushes whenever they leak (i.e. bleed) the site of the wound turns dark. Such is the case with this cat. You can see in the pic his booty is much darker than the rest of him. The skin is also harder then the rest of him.
While I was sitting here typing I noticed that he was looking like he was about to poo. I watched because I've been wanting to make sure he's eating and pooping ok. He couldn't seem to push it out so I helped by pressing down a little. Then, I took the pin out again and pulled off some of the blackened skin. I think the skin was too hardened and it wouldn't "give" enough for him to poo. His anus is hanging out a little but at least he can poo. I hope he makes it after everything I've done for him. Everybody root for him!
Oh, and let me just mention that we've discussed on here whether or not caterpillars drink and I've seen them do it. After this one was bleeding last night, I took a drop from the remains of my Sprite and melted ice and set it right in front of him. I watched as he slurped the whole thing down. The drop was about as big as his head; I tried to offer him more but I guess that was a lot for a little caterpillar. I figured he probably needed to replace those fluids and the sugar in the Sprite couldn't hurt either!
In happier news, the last of my Orange-Barred Sulphurs came out. Of course, it chose 7:30 in the morning as I was getting out of the car to walk in to work. So he chilled with me the whole day but when I got home he took off with all due haste!
My Dainty Sulphurs also emerged! They're so tiny, and so fast!
The Giant ST finally stopped flying to my neighbor's house so I could get a picture. We've got a bunch of the cats at the museum and I can't wait until we can put the butterfly in the flight cage. So many guests pick this one as their favorite.
The Monarchs are still doing what they do best. I counted my cats today and I have 34! There's more on the milkweed outside but they're still small and I'm trying to ignore them for now.
Funny story, last night Dad was fixing the shelf in my brother's closet. They were drilling and hammering away. When they would hit the hammer, all the Monarchs bopped their head in unison at the loud noise. It was hilarious!
So today Mom and I went to the Butterfly festival at USF. They had a butterfly house and of course we went in despite nearly sweating to death. The tent was staffed with volunteers from the college so I ended up explaining a lot of things to the people inside. I even told one guy to come on over to MOSI and just walk around the butterfly garden. He's trying to attract them to his yard. I like to tell people they're welcome to park and wander through the gardens without having to pay admission to the museum. Lots of people exercise or bike through the trails in the "Backwoods" area so I figure it's okay. And most of our plants have tags so if you want to know what it is, just look down at the sign.
Anyway, I was super excited because I finally got to see a Variegated Fritillary! We have the cats at the museum right now and they should be making chrysalises any day now. But it was nice to get a preview as to what they're going to look like!
Spicebush!
The had real and fake plants in the tent. As you walked in they had these fake flowers strung along one of the supports and this Palamedes would not leave it. At first I thought it was part of the decoration until I got close and saw it was real. Too funny!
He was in the mood to pose, however. As always, let me point out the yellow line parallel to the body on the underside of the wing. This is a sure-fire way to ID a Palamedes (vs. a Black ST). Other Swallowtails will not have that line.
I also can pick out the Palamedes because the yellow on the topside looks more like it was airbrushed on whereas the Black ST has more defined borders to the yellow.
I got excited because they had Viceroys and Queens in the tent, too! This is a Viceroy but notice how in Florida, the Viceroys tend to mimic the color of the Queens. I always find that interesting.
That was a great story, Mellie, about the spicebush cat - I hope it successfully reaches adulthood!
Are dainty sulphurs common in Florida? They're rare here, just showing up here and there. And we don't have orange barred sulphurs at all - yours is gorgeous! We get plenty of cloudless sulphurs, sleepy oranges and little yellows, though, as a matter of fact, there are many CS cats in my garden, and I brought in 3 to raise myself. The cassias aren't flowering, so they're all green.
For the past several years, I've had tons of giant swallowtails. They're flying all over the place now, plus I've got a lot of cats in a cage, and the females are still laying eggs on my orange tree and rue.
I can see why they're so popular - they're hard to miss!
Sherry
Last but not least, the tent had Zebra Longwings and I actually found some flying around outside, too. I haven't seen one in my yard this year and only one or two at the museum.
As always, I went hunting for cats at the garden. While I was looking at some passion vine, I was totally shocked when a hummingbird came up and drank from one of the blooms. Before last year I had never seen a hummingbird in Florida and now my yard has two and USF has at least one (it was a female, I think).
I did spot a Giant ST laying eggs on the Wafer Ash which totally confused me because I had been searching all the Hercules' Club trees. Of course, I brought them home.
Speaking of bringing things home, I was at Lowe's last weekend and noticed they were selling pipevine. I saw some Polydamas eggs on them so I picked them off and brought them home. I haven't raised any this year and my pipevine is getting a little wild. I figured Lowe's would kill them anyway and I do miss petting the Polys. I still see them at the museum, but once a week isn't enough to time to share my Poly love.
That's all from Melanie's world this week!
Melanie
Spicebush cats can be such trouble! Not that I'm discouraged in any way. I've already told Dad to dig me up a sassafrass when he goes to WV this year on vacation. My county is apparently as far south as they grow in Florida, but I can't say as I've ever seen one here. Time to remedy that.
The Dainty Sulphurs are pretty common because their host plant, Spanish Needles, grows everywhere. Literally. It's common along the side of the road and I pull it out of my flower beds all the time (or it would take over). As a kid I always had the seeds stuck to my socks. I was lucky enough to see the mommy sulphur lay the eggs because those guys are tiny and I can't imagine finding a cat. The Orange-Barreds are nice. We get those and the Cloudless although I think the Cloudless outnumber them by a bit. This year the Orange-Barreds just happened to hit up my cassia first.
One thing I like about the Giant STs is that I can tell everyone they use citrus as a host plant. I mean, everyone in Florida has some kind of citrus. I think it's a law. So it's nice to tell people they are likely to see this butterfly around their yard, especially if they live near an orange grove (which is most of the state).
Melanie
Fun stuff Mel!
Not too much to report except that I've been seeing the eastern tailed blues all over the yard. Of course, no camera when they are there. And even if I had one, they aren't stopping for long!
Great shots Melanie and MissSherry. Hope the SBST baby makes a speedy recovery! The VF chrysalis is georgeous, you and Mom will love watching it.
I was exhausted last weekend after having a bunch of friends over to help DH and I celebrate our one-year retirement. Then I have been inside much of this week tearing out a bathroom and stripping paint from old doors. But I did manage to release one BST and another looks like tomorrow is the day for it. My first Pipevine may follow suit. I will definately get pics on that one!
I picked up this strange cat and found out it was a Catocala maestosa, the Sad Underwing moth; horrible name for very weird cat.
This message was edited Jun 13, 2009 7:21 PM
My VF chrysalids usually have a lot of brown on them, and they're not as pretty as the ones you see in pictures. But one year, they went under the paper towels, which were white, to pupate and made white chrysalids - I'd like to have a necklace with one of these on it!
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/PucPuggy/VFChrysalids.jpg
Sherry
I see what you are saying. This one was my first VF, such a beautiful thing they are.
Thos are really pretty!
Do you think the white of the paper towel had something to do with the coloring MissSherry?
Got a couple today. Not sure on this one....Varigated Fritillary maybe???
Seeing more sulphurs too!
I think it could be a Hackberry Emperor and a the second one a Clouded Sulphur. Anyone see different please correct me.
Here is a great link to id with. http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabambc/frames-1species.asp?sp=Phoebis-sennae
Oh, here's my Variegated Fritillary chrysallis....I seem to remember that someone makes jewelry to resemble these!
Also, after I cleaned out the BST cat cage and gave the two of them new food, I notice that one had crawled over to join the other on its new food (each has separate food to cut down on conflicts just a bit...although the temptation to join the other one on the other side of the container is sometimes too strong). So Group Photo time!
Nanny...did you happen to notice if the second cell bar on the forewings was broken/hacked in two? That's one way to pinpoint the hackberry - think of it as 'hacked' :o) Could also be an Empress Leilia - but not sure where you are and if they are native to your area.
Don't think the color of papertowels has anything to do with chrysalis color...the VFs out here have very white chrysalids - and they've pupated on the black mesh of my reptarium. Maybe it has something to do with whether they eat violets or passion vine? Another of life's great mysteries :o)
Loved catching up on all those caterpillar photos and of course, those butterflies we don't get here - send Palamedes, Spicebush and Viceroys down south please :o)
At least the Dainty Sulphurs are all over the place! I commend you Mel for raising those wee buggers!!!
I collected three Pipevine caterpillars yesterday and two already pupated. The other is still eating. There were gobs of pipevine caterpillars out in the fields at the ranch. All except one was a dark form. We get the orangish red caterpillars to the dark one really stood out. I brought that one home to finish raising.
~ Cat
This message was edited Jun 14, 2009 7:12 PM
How cute those are, I wanted some....just thinking outloud. Wishing, hoping...
Love to see all the action heading up!!
Finally got an Eastern Tailed Blue to stop and pose.
Linda.... I am not sure about the VF chrysalis but Debnes has one of the Monarch necklaces. The DH got it for her I believe, she posted that website once too. Also good shot of your BST playing nice.
TPP..... I like the "hacked" description, that I can remember. Lucky you on the PV cache!
Mrs Ed....Cutie!
I had another BST emerge today. I placed the cage near this statuary by the parsley bed...hint...hint.. Lay some eggs!!
Also got a shot of my PV chrysalis (my first). Hope to have more later in the year since Datura12 shared some more pipevine with me!! I took it off of a cage lid and later hot glued it to a piece of styrofoam so it can emerge easier.
I have two GSTs they were still eating yesterday but one may be ready to make a chrysalis soon. I am not seeing as many of them this year either. And I have a 4 foot lime and two toothache trees this year for them.
I don't recall it appearing hacked....I looked at the pics of the hackberry and I am just not sure that is a match. I am in west central Indiana, so I will have to look that one up later.
Greta shot of the little Eastern Blue Mrs. Ed!! We hav elots of those and I tries to get a ppic but couldn't get a good on! LOL
Shiela??? You hot glued it to the styrofoam? EEEK!!! You glued the silk right and not the chrysalis body...?
I find it easy enough to dab a toothpick in hot glue and touch the silk and roll the toothpick so the silk wraps around it...then I just push the other end of the toothpick into styrofoam. If a chrysalis falls you don't really need to hang it back up - they will emerge just fine even when they are loose on the bottom of a cage.
~ Cat
I love all y'all's pictures!
I don't know if the white paper towel really had anything to do with those white chrysalids, Sheila - maybe it was a coincidence, maybe not.
Mrs. Ed, that's a really great picture! One of my dog's favorite toys is a life like squirrel. He carries it around in his mouth a lot, and I left it outside recently - of course, the "squirrel" was nasty with plenty of dog slobber all over it. Normally, I can't get spring/summer azures or eastern tailed blues to be still long enough to get their picture, but one spring azure "nectared" on the slobbery toy for so long, I was able to get its picture, finally!
I'm so jealous of your pipevine swallowtails, Cat! This is the first year I've been without them. A male nectared on butterfly bush in my garden briefly about a week or so ago, but no female has laid any eggs on my vines, and you should see them - they're huge!
I keep finding more giant swallowtail cats on my rue, Sheila. The ones in my cages are growing like weeds, I mean they were tiny hatchlings just a few days ago, and now they're already half way grown!
Sherry
That's too funny about the slobbery toy, and just an excellent picture!