We came from here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/880175/
Well, my day began by chasing this Monarch around that was laying eggs all over my milkweed. Yesterday, Mom released three Monarchs - one boy and two girls. So this may very well be one of them that has stuck around to bring me more caterpillars.
The Giant ST fairy was also in the neighborhood, but still no takers on my very tiny, but growing, Hercules Club. While I was over by the milkweed, I saw a Black ST laying eggs on the fennel! I couldn't get a picture as she was very skittish, but it was nice to actually see the butterfly and not just the evidence, lol!
The long-tailed skipper was in the neighborhood. More on that guy later...
I thought the Black ST had come back for more, but after looking at my pics I think I must have had a Spicebush visiting.
The fourth Monarch I released today was a boy so we had an even split. I also rounded up three more piggie caterpillars. I think there were more, but when I went back to collect I could only find three. I'll check again later.
Again, I just have to say how much I'm loving my firebush and "Black and Blue" salvia combo. And if you happen to be a crazy Gator fan, this would be a great way to landscape and let all of your neighbors know which team you root for. Just sayin'...
So the long-tailed skippers laid eggs on my beans as well as the beggarweeds. I didn't count how many cats I brought it, but I think it was about a dozen. Here's the eggs from my beans.
And here's the Black ST eggs. Apparently, the butterflies know I'm back from vacation and figured I needed something to do.
Finally, here's my largest skipper cat. Apparently, that line going from yellow to orange near the back is one way to identify that it's a long-tailed skipper.
Hope everyone else is being covered in butterflies and caterpillars!
Melanie
Mel, where is your dill planted, is it in a real sunny place? Mine dried up quite a while ago, with most of my parsley. I'm despairing of raising anymore BST cats this year....
My dill is gone. The eggs are on fennel and I still have some parsley as well. They're all planted against the east side of my house.
melanie, wll you please link plant files for your beggerweed. I need to see what it looks like. I may have it. Does it bloom teeny tiny daisy-like flowers? I have some kind of weed that does and then if you brush up against it, the seeds stick all over your clothes. I didn't know it was a host plant for skippers.
I'm pretty sure this is the one I have, but there are several species in the desmodium genus. http://www.plantatlas.usf.edu/images.asp?plantID=3587#
You may also be thinking about beggar ticks (or Spanish Needles as I call them) which host the Dainty Suplhur. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/54527/
Well, after the rain moved on, I went back outside and found some more friends. Another sulphur was laying eggs on my cassia. The last batch I got never hatched so I hope these do better.
The Gulf Frit was enjoying the plumbago as usual.
The agastache I bought during vacation have started blooming again and the duskywings have found it. I just think it's nice to see them eating something other than porterweed!
Even the Cassius Blues are being tempted off the plumbago!
Beautiful pictures Melanie and what a great variety you have.
Lots of butterflies this morning and a couple of hummingbirds! Not very many good pics though. I liked this one. I was watching a pair of polys mating and then saw two little dark ones flying around each other right in front of me. One of them was this skipper.
Pretty poly on a penta - now five times fast!
I believe this was a pipevine hanging out in the oak tree.
I just love looking at all the pretty pics here! I may eventually even try to raise some cats...who knows!!
Monarch (?) this morning
Yes it is Nanny, a female. There is a "sticky" thread at the top of the hummer butterfly forum with all kinds of info for raising bfs. You will love it!
Now how can you tell it is a female?
The male monarch has a spot that is located on the ventral side of the lower wing along the black line....see photo from bug files.
It is visable from the underside also, but not as prominently.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/showimage/795/
This message was edited Aug 3, 2008 4:18 PM
Here is a pic of a male ventral side.
Yup, my Monarch photo above shows those spots meaning it's a boy! The "spots" are actually scent glands that the males use to entice the females. So if they have them, it's a boy. If not, it's a girl.
Melanie
Hey guys, this bug was on my milkweed yesterday. Before I try the bug ID forum I wanted to see if any of you knew for sure what it was. Thanks!
The Queen butterfly I saw today was a male...probably the same one I've seen a few times before. No wonder I haven't found any eggs or cats! If no females show up, he'll find no lady to produce a family.
Exciting news! Dad described a new butterfly to me today and said he saw three of them over by my milkweed/salvia/firebush corner. After giving him the third degree and making him browse through a photo line-up, he IDed the perps as Red Admirals! We hardly ever see these in the yard; I've only seen one in my yard and one at the nursery up the street. Even the nursery folks were surprised to see one when I pointed it out. So I'm super happy!
Melanie
Good day at the ranch today :o)
Saw lots of Dainty Sulphurs ovipositing again. There'll be an outbreak of butterflies in a couple of weeks for sure!
Was sitting back in the golf car watching a Fatal Metalmark ovipositing on clematis drummondi - then I decided to lay down the binoculars and grab the camera but for the life of me I couldn't find the eggs she left!!! Drats! Did get a photo of a ventral view of one. Never could get it to go back to the plant and lay eggs.
~ Cat
Looks like a Robber Fly (Choerades fimbriata)? I'd have to see your picture again when the sun goes down. My montior is blurred my the sunlight shining through my window.
edit to say, sorry Cat. We cross poste. I'm referring to Melanie's fly picture.
This message was edited Aug 3, 2008 7:36 PM
Was trying to get the hang of the new Canon XSI's telephoto lens. Took this photo of a well worn GST. Not bad if I must say so myself - interesting to know butterflies fly around with their tongues hanging out and dragging their feet! :o) ROLF!!!
~ Cat
Cat, I swear I've seen butterflies from time to time acting like they're ovipositing and then there's no eggs where they did that. Practicing? Or they think they have eggs but don't have any ready? Good pics with that new camera.
Linda,
I saw the eggs coming out...and saw the egg left on the flower bud...but considering how invasive that clematis drummondi is at the ranch...if you take your eyes off one spot - you'll lose sight of whichever bud it was. Oh well, will try looking for caterpillars next weekend :o)
As for the butterflies practicing...I think they know we're watching them and they are psyching us out! ROLF!!! Have seen 'blanks' left behind though.
...or could be like when ya gotta go but can't :o) ROLF!!!
~ Cat
Cat, you are too funny.
I have rescued Gulf Frit caterpillars and now have several cocoons (?) One even stuck to the side of the container so I am leaving it. The others stuck to the stem of passion vine. If I put them in a container, do I need to tape them to a stick or something? Will they be ok to just leave them on the stem?
Any id on this picture? I know he is a long tail skipper of some type.
EF...that skipper looks like a Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus). Lucky you! I haven't seen any around my yard this year yet. Alas, will have to wait until the fall season for the butterflies to show up.
As for the Gulf Fritillary chrysalids - you can tape or hot glue (don't touch the chrysalis with the hot glue though!!!!) the stem to a chop stick or wooden skewer or any twig since as the passion vine stem dies it will probably flop over. From there you can stick the twig into floral foam or a piece of styrofoam. Elsewise you can just lay the chrysalids on a piece of paper towel. They will still do fine laying on their sides.
Speaking of GFs - saw gobs of caterpillars on the native p. foetida at the ranch. All sizes of instars :o) They are plentiful so I left them on the vines - besides that I have to do some traveling out of town this week. No time to babysit everything I find :o)
Oh...and forgot - there were gobs of Pipevine cats around too. Saw a cluster of three on a stalk of grass - no food plant in sight! They looked comatose so I gathered them up and put them on some aristolochia fimbriata I planted out by the fence. Dumb butterflies still haven't found that vine to lay eggs on it - they insist on flitting around the back pastures in search of the native a. erecta. The caterpillars seemed happy to be rescued and quickly woke up and started munching out.
~ Cat
Thanks, Cat. I think I will just put them on a paper towel. I thought I remembered that would be ok. I found that really sheer materal at Walmart and it works great with plastic containers.
Elaine
EF...
Congrats on the GF chrysalids too. One small word of caution - be careful when they emerge. Sometimes there are horn dog males just waiting to pounce on a female. They will even cling to a female chrysalis and might even try to tear it open to get to the female. If they don't allow her the space and time to eclose properly she will probably end up deformed.
Yes, you can use tulle or sheer material for your containers - I sometimes use pieces of that quickly rubber-banded on a jar when I'm out in the field but since I live in deep south Texas where our temps are usually in the 90's and 100's the material starts to deteriorate within a few months. Of course, washing and disinfecting the cages adds to the material's deterioration.
I pretty much have phased out my cages with mesh and have been using that nylon mesh used for replacing window screens. I keep numerous cages on my back porch, in the garage and carry a few more in my car all the time :o) Just never know when I'll need something to put a cat in!!!
~ Cat
ooooo, thanks for that info Cat. I may put them in separate containers.
Thanks,
Elaine
I love how those pipevine swallowtail cats come in two different varieties. The Zebra STs do it too, but somehow it's not quite as impressive.
Dad had to cut the purple porterweed back as it was growing over the pathway to the front door. Let's hope the hummingbirds don't launch an offensive against us. The Zebra Longwings might join up, too. Fortunately, the purple porterweed I bought at the Butterfly Festival has just started blooming and is conveniently located behind the plumbago which is just to the left of the first purple porterweed. So they should have plenty of blooms in the next few weeks - and they won't have to go very far to get it.
I'm still having tons of fun with these Long-Tailed Skipper cats. They're so funny looking! I thought my biggest one might be ready to molt, but he started eating again. By the way, I had an experience with my skippers this morning I want to share. The big one was in the tank with the little ones, and for the most part they hide in their shelters and stay away from each other. When they would meet each other they would usually just turn around. Well, the big one went out wandering today and ran into a little one. It looked like he tried to pick him up and move him, and he ended up injuring and killing him. Lots of caterpillars will pick up their frass and fling it away (so the predators don't find them) and I think that's what he thought he was doing when he ran into the other cat. There are some cats that are cannibalistic (i.e. Zebra STs) but I really think he didn't mean to eat the little guy. Just wanted to share my experience so others can learn from it. The big guy is in solitary confinement right now, but he's got a fresh leaf and a shelter all silked up around him and I think he's comfy and enjoying life right now.
Melanie
It's a big swallowtail week here. First of all, my BSTs are hatching. 3 today so far!
Yesterday I had an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail at the phlox.
