Melanie's super awesome butterfly hike!

Hi everyone! I didn't want to take over the daily thread so I figured I better make my own. I must have a lot of good karma stored up because I had the most awesome hike today! I haven't been in a while since it's been deathly hot outside, but since it's in the upper 80s instead of 90s now, I figured I could take it, LOL!

The place I hike is the headwaters to Brooker Creek. The preserve is so big that you can see a lot of different ecosystems: pine scrub, wetlands, etc. It also has lots of pawpaws growing in it, so I go there to see the Zebra Swallowtails.

I had just stepped out of the car and was slathering bug spray on myself when I saw a couple of butterflies. The first was a Palamedes ST that flew off. At first, I thought the other one was a Gulf Fritillary, but it looked too dark.

I got a little closer, thought it was a Queen, and then realized it was a Viceroy! In Florida, we get darker-colored Viceroys that mimic the Queen. But you can tell them apart because they still have that curved line through their hind wings.

I looked around and realized there were a bunch of willows. Then, I realized this was a female ovipositing right in front of me!!

Unlike a Monarch, she didn't do the curved abdomen thing. She sits on the leaf so that she can lay the egg right on the tip of the leaf.

Upside down shot! You can really see her color in this photo.

I watched her for several minutes before I decided it doesn't count as a hike if you only go five feet down the trail. You know I picked those eggs though! They look like little disco balls on the end of the leaves.

My Phaeon Crescent buddies were flying around.

The Spanish Needles bloom well this time of year and the Duskywings were taking advantage. These flowers bring in a lot of the smaller butterflies which is why I keep some weedy places around the yard for them to flourish. They also host the Dainty Sulphur.

This extremely fast sulphur was enjoying the Hairy Indigo http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/81816/ There are tons and tons of sulphurs flying around right now. When I took this picture there was a larger sulphur nearby that I couldn't get a picture of. My senna is just starting to show signs of blooming so it made me wonder if the sulphurs time themselves to have a baby boom when their host plant blooms.

You know, I'm really good at finding eggs and caterpillars, but I never see chrysalids in the wild. I know they exist, but those butterflies do such a darn good job of hiding them! But today something caught my eye on a pawpaw. I knew it was the wrong time of year for flowers so I looked down - and found an empty chrysalis! It was so exciting to see one that had made it to a full grown butterfly.

When you walk through a swamp, you're bound to see lots of Palamedes STs. Sure enough, they were all over the place. The only one that let me take its picture was this old tattered one, and I think it was just too old to fly away from me!

I was surprised to see a Carolina Satyr on a flower (lantana) because they generally hang out in the leaf litter. But I guess a girl's gotta eat sometime.

Usually they're like this - trying to hide on a leaf.

But the real reason I come here is for the Zebra Swallowtails!

They're my favorite butterfly. And right now they're enjoying Florida Elephant's foot http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/54215/ It's a favored nectar plant this time of year. Sometimes it seems like it will be the only thing blooming.

So the heat was starting to get to me and I drank all my water; thus, I started down the trail that would take me back. I was willing the Palamedes to stop for a second when something on the ground caught my eye - it was a freaking Luna Moth!!!

Underside! You know I picked it up and brought it home. I'm not much of a moth person but I know how everyone gets excited when they see these, and I'd never seen one. I looked up the gum tree since they use that as a host. I saw that plant all over the place! I just never knew its name. Now, I'll have to go searching for Luna Moth cats, I guess!

I was already feeling pretty special about seeing the Luna Moth. Then, I saw a Catesby Lily! http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2715/ And further down the trail, I found another one! These are threatened in Florida and I had been wanting to see one for a long time. I felt super special at this point and started to wonder what I had done to get my "good karma" points so high.

I finally went home, and who was there to greet me but the Giant Swallowtail!

While I was trying to take a picture this Dun Skipper jumped in front of me like, "Hey, I'm a cute little butterfly, too!"

And just to prove Elphaba isn't the only one with nice Long-Tailed Skipper photos! This guy was outside enjoying the plumbago with everyone else.

And you know I didn't leave without finding some new friends. I picked up two Zebra ST cats, but when I got home I had four. They're good at hiding - but I know where they like to hide! I also picked up quite a few eggs so hopefully I'll have more friends soon. I just don't feel right unless I'm raising Zebra Swallowtails.

Well, that was my Saturday! Hope you enjoyed coming along with me. Virtual hiking is so much easier than the real thing!

Melanie

That was awesome Melanie.I almost felt like I was there.

Very enjoyable hike Melanie and I did not even break out in a sweat. Those are great pics and lucky you to get the zebra cats. Keep us posted with pics on those please. I have never seen one around here.

Leslie

I love all the photos - That's so neat how the Viceroys are darker like the Queens! That lily reminds me of the Lilium philadelphicum http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/liliumphil.html I am so happy for you and your Zebra Swallowtails, I wish we got those around here. I have a paw paw seedling I started from seed this year just incase a female ever showed up looking for host plants. At the rate they say the earth is warming it might just happen some day. By then my seedling should be a full grown tree! lol That's so great you found that luna, if it's a female you'll have to figure out a way to get her to lay some eggs in a bag for you!

Wonderful photos Melanie!!! Seeing all those lovely butterflies has cheered me up.

Was in DC since Sunday and just flew back today...did not see one single butterfly!!! NOT ONE!!! GRRRRR!!!

But on a good note...I got to see gobs of butterflies again as my plane was about to land. We were about thirty feet above the runway and there were hundred of Snouts and Lysides flying by. Ahhhhh, it's soooo good to be back in Texas!!!

~ Cat

Wow, Melanie, what a great hike! You must be a good Samaritan with all of that karma!! :P

Thanks for sharing! :)

Great hike Melanie! Thanks for sharing the experience with us. I would love to find half of the bfs you came across! Look forward to seeing your new buddies grow up.
Is there two chrysalis on the Pawpaw? The one I see empty, but what is to the right?
That lily is georgeous, great find! Nice of the GST to meet you when you got back home too!
Meredith...I think the Luna was deceased...right Mel? They don't live long because they don't eat, no mouth parts.

Yup, the Luna was no longer of this world. Has anyone noticed they're using the moth to hawk the sleeping pill, Lunesta? I was making jokes about it when showing the moth to Dad. I'm glad I remembered that a lot of moths don't eat because its little face was kind of freaking me out.

The chrysalis on the pawpaw is broken in half. The thing on the right is the bottom part of it. I guess that butterfly really busted out!

I enjoyed your hike...I love your darker Viceroy!

Aren't they cool? I really thought I saw a Queen at first. I don't see too many Queens though - it makes me wonder where the Viceroys see them, lol!

Everytime I see that Lunesta commercial I tell anyone who's listening "that's a luna moth" lol
Melanie too bad it was dead, but I guess that would explain how you found one so easily in the middle of the day! lol I'm so silly sometimes. Are you at least going to pin and frame it? That's what my husband told me he would do if he found one. I thought it was a good idea for an already deceased one anyway. : )

I was going to ask my boss at the museum if she had one yet because she has all kinds of dead butterflies she uses as examples. If she doesn't need it I was thinking of pinning it.

Melanie

You could frame it with glass using a dark background, that would be very pretty.