DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 71

We came from here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1037654/

Look who came to visit me! My Red-Spotted Purple! I found another cat on the cherry tree today. I figured I would find one eventually since it's unlikely I found all the eggs. I also mixed up some butterfly brew last week. Mom and Dad got involved - Mom since I never used the blender before, and Dad held the funnel. I haven't ever seen the butterflies that are most attracted to the brew - the Question Marks, Hackberry butterflies, etc. I'm not sure if it's because they're not common around here or because I just didn't have what they were looking for. Right now, I've got a bunch of lovebugs getting crazy in it and that's about all. But the RSP is flying around so I felt like I had to put some out.

They may prefer rotting fruit, but all butterflies love porterweed.

The Zebra Longwings are out in force again. I actually found a cat on a passion vine that volunteered itself in my side yard. I didn't even know it was there but it started climbing the sprinkler and I thought, "Hmmm...that plant looks familiar." I think I might have set a potted passion vine over there while waiting to plant it like a year ago. Those things are crazy! Unfortunately, the cat looked like he had been bitten in half so I put him out of his misery.

While typing the last post, Mom yelled that something was on my pipevine. I ran out only to discover another clutch of Polydamas eggs. I've already got about a dozen that hatched earlier this week. No more pipevine for Melanie. Oh, while outside the dark form female Tiger ST did a flyby. Dad said he saw it earlier this morning while he was in the garage.

The Giant ST was checking out the pink pentas as usual. It just loves these things. Occasionally, I see it on something else but it always comes back to the pink pentas.

The Spicebushies are still regular visitors. My second cat made his chrysalis last night. I found another one in my neighbor's yard so now I have three cats and two chrysalises.

I know I keep talking about them so here's a picture of my RSP cat. He's finally big enough to see detail.

And just to keep Cat in line, here's some of my super-adorable Polydamas cats. Don't have those down in Texas, do ya?! : )

Melanie

Nice!

We get Polys...but very infrequently. Go ahead and show 'em off...come October I'll see your Polys and raise you some rare Mexican strays :o) Least I hope some will show up this fall!!!

We don't get the RSPs or SBs though...sure would like to see those down here. We have way too many PVSs - that's about the only black butterfly in abundance.

Hurry up October and November!!!

~ Cat

You don't get the Spicebushes either? I knew you didn't have Palamedes and Polydamas, which is good because if you're like my mother you would call them the wrong thing all the time or just make up some Greek-sounding name. Aren't they're any bay trees in TX? Speaking of, on Jeopardy the other night the category was "L"ists (notice the L in quotation marks, as Alex would say). The answer was the plant family that includes Sassafras, Avocado, and one more that I can't remember. Of course, I started screaming, "What is Laurel!" None of the contestants got it so I mocked them. Even Dad knew that one from his woodworking. Plus, he's the one who dug up a sassafras for me.

I think I forgot to mention this, but I found the first Spicebush cat on my Spicebush plant last week. The week before I found the first cat on my bay tree, and I know I mentioned that. But I got to thinking a few days later that I was so excited I forgot to check the Spicebush, which happens to be about three feet away from the bay tree. So I went out there, and sure enough there was a leaf folded over with a caterpillar hiding in it!

My new butterfly net came in handy a few minutes ago. We had a moth on the wall above the pantry. Well, Dad called it "either a moth or one of those dustywings." After I corrected him for the millionth time that they are, in fact, Duskywings and not dustywings, I walked over to see. Sure enough, we had a moth chilling in the kitchen. I netted him and safely released him back outside with an order to pollinate my flowers.

Melanie

:o) Melanie...no sweet bay or sassafras trees down in the south tip. We do get a few avocado and magnolia trees but they are far and few between. The magnolias can't withstand our heat - the little ones that are imported from up north wither up and die. There are a few large trees - but they must have been established way before we started getting all this hot weather.

There is also the Shary Plantation House (Shriver House from long ago) that has a avocado grove but nobody has ever reported a butterfly sighting yet.

But will say we do get about 320 species of which 163 are specialty butterflies (90 of those are Unique Specialties occuring only in the Lower Rio Grande Valley are in boldface)

http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabast/specialty.html

Snicker snicker... :o) However, I haven't even put a dent in my life list :o)

If I say I saw and photographed Spicebush and Palamedes when I was in Georgia does that count?

~ Cat


This message was edited Sep 27, 2009 9:18 PM

Hey that is a life's list approved species!

Here's more of my regulars. Had three yesterday. Bunch of Cabbage Whites too.

Such a pretty picture Mrs Ed!!

Thanks Shelia. I love it when there are multiples.

Ya know...considering how abundant Cabbage Whites are - we don't get those prolific buggers down here either...whuff up with dat?!

~ Cat

One more Two-Tailed Tiger eclosed today. After I released it, it rested on a fence.

Be-u-t-ful Linda!!!! I never get to see the Tigers here still enough to know if they are 2s or not.

Buckeye

Monarch at Dahlia

Monarch

Painted Lady in pink New Eng Asters

beeeeuteemous Jack and Linda!

Gorgeous Tiger Linda!!!

Great photos too Jack. Love the color contrast between the monarch and the dahlia.

~ Cat

And yesterday I saw a big butterfly nectaring by the entrance to the subdivision. I got out of my truck to run over and look and then was embarrassed when I turned around and realized I was blocking a couple of the neighbors who needed to get past my truck! Well, it was a butterfly moment after all, but I probably should have pulled off out of the way first. One neighbor (who knows I'm a big butterfly nut) did ask me what I was doing and wanted to know what kind it was (it was a TST). He just shook his head and laughed! Is there a bumper sticker that warns people that not only do I brake for butterflies, but I just might jump out my vehicle without thinking and run over to see?

Funny Linda!!! I've done that too :o)

~ Cat

Not a good picture...but here's my Texas Powdered Skipper I released yesterday. Hope it finds a mate.
I just realized the other day that it's October and I've only seen one Monarch. Not a good migration season so far, at least not here. Cat, I hope other areas are sending you more butterflies than are coming through here!

Released two BST and a Monarch into a cloud covered dreary garden. Good news they emerged without problems, bad news is they may not get to fly for days if it starts in raining again.

Linda,

Gorgeous TPS - I still have yet to raise those. I have that and others on my list of things to do :o)

Butterflies are picking up but the pickings are still just the usual suspects. The drought and extremely high temps really did a number on us. We had 132 days of over 100 degree weather!!! It's still up in the high 90's most days. We could sure use more of the rain Sheila's wary of!!!

The mistflowers have yet to bloom although they do have buds - the rain helped boost that. I've seen the native cenizo, white brush and lantana blooming in the fields.

There is a snouth and lyside migration starting - the numbers are still low - we've yet to see the mass migration of millions south Texas is so famous for. Monarchs are picking up here but they are sporadic. I see maybe three or four when I'm outside.

Our peak butterfly season is coming up - with our annual butterfly festival scheduled to start on the 22nd. Registration for that has been really low - the city is blaming it on the drought/high temps and border violence.

I'll be taking two weeks vacation around that time so I do hope the fall season brings some rare butterflies and Mexican strays. I'd like to see some clearwings!!! We're due to break another US record :o)

~ Cat

Wayward Monarch - I think it missed the migration.

well hello everyone... I am so sorry I haven't posted in MONTHS.. but I have been busy. I am soo pleased to announce my garden attracted butterflies & hummers! I PROMISE as soon as I get my photos onto a cd I will post them. I was soooo excited, a few weeks ago i had 12 Monarch caterpillars.. I first thought they were Swallowtails but they were feasting on my milkweed & researched them. This is my first time with hosting so i was ecstatic to say the least. HOWEVER... the birds got all but one.. it did form a chrysalis that hubby found but i just missed stopping a Grackle from getting it I was SOOOOO ANGRY! hahaha. THEN today I noticed another caterpillar on my morning glories, only it is one I am not familiar with. I took photos but they are not digital. The caterpillar is black with blue spots & a hook tail.. I tried to get as close as I could so hopefully the pic will turn out.
I saw the first migrating Monarch today & am hoping for more! hahaha. My poor garden has suffered a lot from the heat we have had but it's hanging in there.
Hope everyone is doing well & had a good summer. Hubby & I are going on vacation the last week of October to West Virginia. Really looking forward to that.

I hope I can post more in the meantime.Later friends.

Have a great time in VA.

cindy - sounds like a sphinx moth caterpillar on your morning glories - they use that as a larval host plant - do post photos for a proper identification.

~ Cat

Hey, folks - this is the 1st time I've tried raising BF cats. I have 2 TST cats in a
3lb plastic container (with a bunch of holes poked in it). 1 cat is pretty big, the
other is small yet. I had a 3rd cat that died. What's the life cycle for these
dudes? When can I expect the big guy to start changing? I'm feeding them
their favorite foods (parsley, fennel, rue & dill) & they're really chowing down!

This message was edited Oct 10, 2009 10:10 AM

This message was edited Oct 10, 2009 11:31 AM

Carol..... If you are meaning Tiger Swallowtails (TST), those plants are NOT their host plants. You need to switch quickly. Those are the BST (Black) host plants. If you don't know for sure post a picture and get an id on the cats.
The TST use these:
Caterpillar hosts: Leaves of various plants including wild cherry (Prunus), sweetbay (Magnolia), basswood (Tilia), tulip tree (Liriodendron), birch (Betula), ash (Fraxinus), cottonwood (Populus), mountain ash (Sorbus), and willow (Salix).
This site shows them listed for MD, and what the cats eat.
http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/map?ds=21&_dcs=1

edited to say...There is also another TST in your area. No info on it so I am confused. Someone will be along and straighten me out soon.
http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=5089&chosen_state=24*Maryland
Meanwhile look at the pictures of the TST on DG and see if they are what you have.


This message was edited Oct 10, 2009 5:22 PM

Went to the ranch today - the weather was cool and cloudy but there were still a big number of butterflies flitting about. I saw hundreds of Theona Checkerspots - they use Cenizo as a larval host - and the back acreage is full of that shrub - must have had a mass emergence. The Snouts are on the move too - and it's odd that there were more Theonas than Snouts!

~ Cat

Theona Checkerspot

...and considering there were hundreds of Theona Checkerspots it's only natural that they were in the mood for love :o) I saw several dozen mating pairs.

~ Cat

There was also mass hatchlings - here's a gob of Milkweed Tussock moth caterpillars. The fencelines are covering in native milkweed vine and every dang vine was full of these caterpillars! UGH!!!

~ Cat

Am assuming these are going to be Vine Sphinx or some type of Eumorpha.

~ Cat

This message was edited Oct 10, 2009 8:00 PM

Also found some last instar Vine Sphinx caterpillars. One of these cats was huge!

~ Cat