We came from here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1027662/
Yesterday I said I wasn't going to torment everyone with my butterfly variety, but today all bets are off! This morning my Dorantes skipper came out! Well, it was actually around noon but I had just gotten up and was eating breakfast. As you can see, he decided to leak on my hand.
Set him on the porterweed to soak up some sun - and nectar, too!
Then the Duskywing decided he wanted some, too.
I scared him over to the plumeria where he nicely posed for me. What pretty wings!
The Cloudless Sulphur stopped in for a moment.
The Spicebush has moved in permanently. Now, if they would just lay me some eggs. The sassafras Dad brought back from WV is sprouting lots of leaves. I think we've agreed on where I'm going to plant it.
The Giant ST is on my pentas every single day. He seems to prefer the pink to the red.
I was weeding the vegetable garden today and checked my beans. To my surprise, I didn't see any eggs. Then, this lady showed up.
Not only did I get a Long-Tailed Skipper to hold still, I caught it laying eggs on my beans! I promptly collected them and will be taking them to the museum tomorrow. I also found a bunch (like six or seven) nearly full grown LTS on the beggarweed down by the road. It's skipper season at my house!
This little skipper was pollinating my canteloupes. Butterflies have to earn their keep around here!
Look at all the pollen this Zebra Longwing has amasses on its proboscis! By the way, it's on firebush which is a total magnet for them. It also enjoys bougainvillea, porterweed, and jatropha. Zebra LWs collect pollen on their proboscis, then secrete and enzyme that breaks it down to a liquid, then they slurp it all up. Because of this added nutrition, they live 6-9 months. They also have a "trap line" they visit every day meaning they visit the same food sources in the same pattern. Mom sees this guy everyday outside her window. I told her she could name it but it might not respond. The Zebra Longwing is also the official Florida state butterfly. I like to tell that to all the guests at the museum!
At first I thought this was a Cloudless, but when I got it on the computer I realized I had a female Orange-Barred Sulphur. You can see the black dots around the edges of her wings. Saw a male flying around too, but couldn't get his picture. I'm raising a brood of their caterpillars right now and my senna keeps getting egg-bombed.
Gulf Frit on Mexican Sage.
This Gulf Frit was trying to find love but she wasn't having it.
In fact, to get away she flew to my shoe. Maybe she recognized the other butterflies? Or maybe it was the fact that I was holding a sprig of passion vine in my hand (taking it in to feed the critters)? Maybe she thought I was the tree it was growing on.
And finally, the White Peacock came to visit. The only butterfly I didn't get a picture of today was the Pipevine ST. Those guys are skittish! Oh wait, Mom and I did see a Sleepy Orange but that was later when we were going to Target.
Once again, let me say that I live on a half-acre in a suburb of Tampa and I saw all of these butterflies in my yard in one afternoon. You can do it, too! That's what I love teaching people at the museum. All of our butterflies are native and it's great to tell the guests that I've attracted each and every one and I don't have a huge estate or live next to a park. If you plant it, they will come!
Melanie
Criminy!!! I've only seen the usual suspects and they are very far and few between at that! You've got a smorgasboard of butterflies there!!! Keep rubbing it in - this Texan will fill up one thread with all the butterflies in October :o) Remember our peak butterfly season starts in the Fall - hee hee!!! Hurry up world...turn faster!!!
Okay...went to the ranch today in the hopes of seeing some but alas, the golf cart is dead. Not sure if one of the batteries went kaput or what. Oh well, used the old ranch truck to drive around and swap out all the game camera chips and saw gobs...yes, gobs - at least two dozen - feral hogs, a few coyotes and one skinny bobcat =^..^= not one single deer!
Brought back some plants to feed a couple of caterpillars I'd found on some native mallow the week before - when I checked them a while ago one had already pupated. I was thinking they are white checkered skippers but I don't remember the ones I raised before having brown "spots" on the head --- anybody recognize this chrysalis???
Linda??? Have you raised laviana or turks cap skippers? Does this chrysalis look familiar?
~ Cat
...another close up of the head. I just don't recognize the two big brown marks on the head.
~ Cat
Is it finished pupating? Doesn't look like it it. This is the Laviana White Skipper chrysallis. Remember the "smiley face"?
I released a dozen total of those butterflies! And not one stuck around very long...don't blame them...we live in a disaster area!
This message was edited Aug 29, 2009 11:44 PM
hmmm...I think it's done pupating. It isn't brown though - but it does have those whiskers around the head area and yours appears to have those same 'brown markings' which look like eyes. Guess time will tell...
~ Cat
ps...I looked through the caterpillar field guide and the caterpillar looks like that of an Erichson's White Skipper but those are not very common at all - and eventhough I see them several times during the year at the ranch around the area I found the caterpillars I don't think I'd be lucky enough to have found eggs and caterpillars from that species.
Oh well...guess I'll just have to wait and see. Will be in and out of town next week - so hopefully it will remain in the chrysalis stage while I'm gone.
Wow, Melanie you have a fabulous assortment to enjoy. Thanks for sharing them!
I've been slack about cleaning up the fallen peaches and weeds in this area because of the heat and now I'm glad! I found these feeding on two partially rotted peaches this morning. There ended up being three Spicebush and four Viceroy at final count.
Those aren't Spicebushes - those are Red-Spotted Purples! I love those guys! They actually prefer rotting fruit to nectar. And I haven't seen a Viceroy in a while - good going!
Melanie
WooHooo! The Red-Spotted Purples are a first for me. How cool!! Thanks for the info, Melanie.
Barb :D
Lots of cool BF's Melanie!! I now have 2 BST chrysalis. The first one should eclose any day now...I hope!
Okay...just gulf frits eating the passion vines in the yard. Amused myself with this chrysalis 'cat' photo =^..^=
Still don't know what butterfly it will become...but there's nothing wrong with having fun while I'm waiting!!!
~ Cat
ROTFLOL!!!!!! ^_^
Too funny Cat.
Wow Melanie. Nice assortment.
I went to Nachusa grasslands today. I really thought that I'd see more butterflies. I was looking for the Gorgone Checkerspot that was reintroduced to the area. I did not see it. I saw some nice butterflies though.
I have to go back, because I really think that I saw a regal fritilary which would be an amazing sighting.
Anyway, lots of Pearl Crescents… and my first ever picture of mating! woo hoo.
This was a first for me, though a bad picture. I think it's a Common Wood Nymph.
After walking through tons and tons and tons of wildflowers, I found a bunch of butterflies on a gravel driveway at the edge of the grasslands!
I guess this is a Hackberry emperor. I thought it was a new one at first because the HEs I had in the yard are lighter.
And soooo glad to finally get a decent picture of a Red-spotted purple.
Another.
Loving all of your pictures everyone!! Thanks for opening a new thread Melanie.
Cat....you and Texas will shine in a month or two!
Just noticed it is also Melanie's Birthday!!!
Have a super butterfly filled Cake-Day Melanie!!!
Sheila_FW
Best of Birthday's wishes to you Melanie. I haven't had many butterflies pix to share, but I've been faithfully following your threads, how delightful that you've shared so many beauties with us/others. Have a terrific day.
Mrs_Ed,
The HEs vary in color - some are darker others light.
Good going on the Pearl Crescents :o) and of course, the RSP - which may I remind everyone here that we don't get those in south Texas!!! GRRRRR!!! :o)
Melanie - Happy Birthday!!!
~ Cat
Best wishes for a very happy birthday, Melanie.
Barb
~Happy Birthday, Melanie~ : )
Lucy
Thanks everyone! I had a Gulf Frit waiting for me this morning when I woke up. I guess he was my first present!
I'm still enjoying my Silver-Spotted Skippers - no one ever told me they have little red feet! It's too cute!
Caught this cute little skipper at the museum yesterday.
My Spicebush is about to molt. I like how you can see the eyespots through the skin. I know they grow their new skin under their old skin, but it's one thing to read about it and another to see it. Very cool.
