Who wants to help out a Newbie?

I'm relatively new to butterfly gardening and have been trying to follow your recent threads, but I'm tripping over some of the jargon. Is there a "classic thread" or FAQ that you can point me to so I can try to get up to speed? I looked around a bit, but didn't see one.

I have figured out that a cat is not that one that meows, but I still wouldn't recognize one if I saw it. Eclose? Apparently that's not a spelling mistake...

LOL! Yes, it probably is quite confusing if you don't know the jargon and references we make here on this forum. We had a thread about just that for anyone new. Let's see if I can find that thread link. Nope, can't find it.

So I did a google and here is a great website with terminology plus life cycle photos. This should be very helpful to anyone new to butterfly gardening:
http://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/help/gloss.htm

Okay, cat = caterpillar. DUH. ("she's not that bright, but she sews all her own clothes and the gals all think she's neat...")

Thanks, Becky! I'll just sit back and read for a while and let the rest of you carry on...

wrightie - Don't be shy. Jump right on in here anytime. There are no dumb questions. Everyone was a newbie at one time. lol

I'm still relatively new myself. I've only been gardening and raising/releasing butterflies for 2 short years. I ALWAYS have questions. Some we are still trying to figure out. lol

Do you have or are you planning to grow a butterfly garden?

Thanks! We bought a fixer-upper three years ago which virtually had nothing growing other than some mature oak trees. I have since begun installing a "cottage" style garden in the back, so I do have a very young butterfly and bird-friendly garden. I still have a long way to go though. Someone in my local garden club gave me some asclepias tuberosa seeds last year, so that helped motivate me even more. I'll include some pic's to give you an idea of how things are progressing.

Please keep in mind that the website I listed is about "European" butterfly species. I am sure someone here on the forum has a good website for North American butterflies. I just liked the detailed description of the life cycle and terminology explained in that website. And it has the bonus of a photography link which a newbie photographer might find very helpful. Enjoy!

Yes! Please do share some photos with us of your gardens! I love to see what others are doing! :-) :-)

This message was edited Dec 30, 2006 9:03 AM

BEFORE picture of back yard.

Removed one of the oaks that was too close to the house, added another line of fencing, moved and painted the shed, put in lots of fruiting and flowering vines, perennials, hardscaping...

Different angle.

shed

Anyone want to swap their nice wrought iron patio set with some old plastic seating? Will ship for free...

Oh WOW! You are a natural gardener! I love what you did and how your backyard looks now! Beautiful! I would love to have a view from above to see down in my backyard gardens. How awesome!

I may be asking YOU for advice on my gardens! Seriously! :-)

A friend of mine went to a yard sale and found a wrought iron patio set that she refinished. It looks beautiful now! Maybe you could try looking for one that way or from a thrift store. Just a suggestion.

This message was edited Dec 30, 2006 9:35 AM

Thanks. Yes, I'm trying to find one on CraigsList for next season. I'm a big fan of 'recycling.'

Do you have any favorite flowering vines? I need to get something growing on those trees this year -- too much trunk space!

I hear ya! I'm sure you get hummingbirds in your area. I would stay away from the more invasive vines, but there are quite a few good nectar plants for hummers (that butterflies may like too). Some of the ones that I grow are: Passion Vine, Maypop vine, Cross Vine, Coral vine, Mexican Flame Vine. I do not know off the top of my head what their hardiness zones are. You could google for that. The Passion Vine and the Maypop are host plants for certain butterflies. But again, I am not familiar with what kind of butterflies which frequent Maryland. Best bet would be to go to: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/mdbutterflies.asp or google for info. Once you know what butterflies to expect, then you find out what their host plants are in your area. Native plants are the best, because you'll have greater success with them.

I hope this helps.

If you grow plants from seeds, many of us may be willing to share seeds with you. Just let us know what you would like to plant in your yard once you determine what butterflies you can attract in your area. From the list of Maryland butterflies, you have a LOT!

Thank you, again! I just ordered a bunch of seed catalogs and need to sit down and really sort out what I want to start indoors next month. I've pretty much just been working off the various butterfly and bird attracting lists, so I'll keep doing that.

I do get hummingbirds, hummingbird moths and several other types of birds including woodpeckers, nuthatches and tons of goldfinches. I'm not very good at identifying butterflies and moths, but have seen several swallowtails and monarchs in my garden. I have lots to learn before I can keep up with those of you who've been doing this longer!

As for vines, I have several clematis growing on the property, bignonia capreolata crossvine, native honeysuckle, blackberry, hardy kiwi, concord grape, one tiny climbing hydrangea, and a passionflower which did not flower (not enough sun, perhaps?)... As for those oak trees, I'm contemplating climbing hydrangea and/or clematis.

Climbing hydrangea and/or clematis might be your best bet. You are right, many of the vines need more sun to flower.

Depending on the species of Swallowtails you get, their host plants can be herbs to citrus trees. Monarchs of couse, use only the various varieties of milkweed as their host plant.

I don't know as much about wild birds. I'm mainly gardening for butterflies, moths, and hummers. I am sure that there are others on this forum who can give you far more info than I have so far.

Looks like you are off to a great start!

Beautiful wrightie!!
I love your garden!! I see Becky is taking very good care of ya, she's a sweetie (heart of gold)..

She's right about no dumb questions too, I am thrilled to meet you too! If there is anything I can help with just say! We got connections, hehe!



Here's one for ya girls... This one was a wee egg when I took about a dozen Passionvine cuttings over a month ago. Now what's left of the cuttings are there as scat in the pearlite.... Time to put some more cuttings in there, he isn't quite big enough to make a J. In Summer it would have already been released by now, but it seems the cooler weather has slowed it down to double the time.

No telling how long it will be until will be ready to fly... I might have to mail the chrysalis to you Beckaroo!! .....(Just thought of that while I was typing.)

o/~

Deb - LOL! I've got GF cats all over my Maypop vines right now. Send your baby to me! It will feel right at home on my garden vines! lol I wonder if they overwinter? If so, let it get to the chrysalis stage and then put it outside to overwinter.

I don't really get a true winter here, so I am totally clueless about overwintering butterflies or anything for that matter except some plants. I guess I'm considered a "Tropical" zone here. I guess that's why swaying palm trees grow here like weeds. LOL

Frits are not known for their overwintering Becky as far as I know they slow down to double time, that I do know. I am so glad I have you there in zone 9 willing and able to adopt my wee baby one. I just stuck a new sprig of leaves in there for it a few minutes ago. I have the perfect box to ship it in ready when it makes a full chrysalis... You will have to send me pictures if it all works out. I will stick the new seeds for you in there too if thats alright. Also I am waiting on a surprise for your new bog garden to come in the mail, hehe. (Don't twist my arm, Im not telling..
:-x.)

If it all works out, this will be one for the books! I was concerned about what to do. Now I feel much better, because mid January is usually too cold for these little guys. Your such a good little mommy!

Thanks!!

wrightie - When you decide what plants you want to add to your garden, post the list here BEFORE buying any seeds. Chances are many folks here on this forum may be able to help you out with seeds for trade or SASBE. Deb is one of the folks on this forum who is very generous about sharing! And boy oh boy does she have the connections! LOL

Deb - When your little GF becomes a chrysalis, be sure to carefully pull him down with some of the silk still attached if possible. (If not, I will figure it out.) I can string him up with dental floss and he'll be right at home when he ecloses and is released. AND I will take photos of your little fella for you. What we don't do to save the butterflies! LOL! You KNOW that I am a sucker for any challenge like that! I'm currently moving all the baby Monarch cats around my yard to feed on newly emerging folliage from all my cut back Milkweed. They always act so shocked when I pluck them off one plant and place them on another. Like .... "What was that giant thing that picked me up and placed me .... where? Where am I now???" LOL Gotta keep those babies alive. You can never have too many butterflies .... ya know what I mean?! LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL

I think I am ready for that padded room now. (Hee, hee, hee.) I must have a touch of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). Those cats and butterflies do take me to places I never thought I'd ever go. LOL

And ya gotta tease me with a surprise bog plant ..... oooooh ...... YOU are soooo baaaaad, Deb! Okay ... what is it? What is it? What is it? (Jumping up and down.) I can't stand surprises! lol You're killing me, Deb! lol

Wrightie you are on the right track for sure. It looks wonderful

Wow, thank you ladies, very much! I'm new to all of this plant/seed trading, so I appreciate the help. I'm blown away by the "fostering" and over wintering that you do with the caterpillars (see, I told you I don't know the jargon)... Who knew that this even went on???

I need to run to the nursery to pick up some turf seed and a bale of straw. We're trying to improve the grade on an area of the yard that tends to collect water.

Thanks again for all the help and encouragement. I love it!

Mwahh hahahahaha!

:-x

ROTFLMBO! You are too funny, Deb!

Welcome wrightie! No one learns anything without asking questions, so don't feel embarassed! I'm very impressed that you sew your own clothes!! Learning to sew more is something I would really love to do.

Like Becky said, ASK us if we have something you are looking for before ordering it. It's much easier to grow some plants from cuttings than seeds and we are usually happy to share those too. I hate asking people for things but have learned that everyone else does it and if you don't then you just miss out. Trading can be a lot of work and get confusing so if you get overwhelmed (like I tend to do) just d-mail someone individually.

Eclose is when the chrysalis hatches. Actually eclosion is the word, but I picked up eclose several years ago on another forum with very experienced butterfly raisers. Mirrian-Webster has a definition but I'm not going to sign-up for a free trial to see it. lol

Send me a SASBE Wrightie. I will send you some Passionvine (for Gulf Fritillaries), and Aristolochia Tomentosa (for Pipevine Swallowtails) seeds.. I see that both of those come to Maryland...

Deb

Welcome Wrightie, you fit right in here!! I am new (1 year) at butterflies too but have learned by doing and from this group of wonderful folks.

By the way, I would be happy to be a foster mom too :-)

Karen

Welcome aboard Wrightie! It's wonderful here, everyone is so helpful!