Or at least not so old.

Have to get some button bush!

Kyla, they live in pretty wet areas so make sure you have a really moist area for them to grow. Here in FL I've seen them in wetlands, and like I said, in WV they were growing right at the edge of the lake. I think they may be somewhat able to adapt, but you may want to research it first. I tried growing one before and I guess it was too dry and it died. But at least I tried! Meanwhile, I will make do with my neighbor's. I really wish that house would sell so I could get some nice people that would let me go back there and explore again.

Thanks, yes, I saw that when I went looking for details. Ah well. I hope you get some good new neighbors though!

Hey guys, Mom had her knee replaced last Monday (Jun 29) so I haven't been out of the house as much lately. Have to watch her so she doesn't do something stupid like try to sweep the floor while resting on her walker. Yes, she totally did that. By the time I came out yesterday there was a dirt pile halfway to the front door. After berating her to take better care of herself, I finished sweeping. But I got a little distracted when I opened the door because - butterflies! They didn't all want their pictures taken but I got this Spicebush which was what made me go outside in the first place. He's pretty worn and had a bite taken out of him. But what I didn't notice until I looked at the photo on the computer is all the pollen on his legs! Check that out! Take that, honeybees! No really, I still love you honeybees.



Monarchs are still around even though I only have the Giant Milkweed which they don't really seem to prefer. But they do sure like the Mexican Flame Vine. It's been attracting them all year.



I just went outside and saw another Spicebush ST which is only reinforcing my thoughts about buying more Spicebush. But I went out there to get food for the Tiger STs and because Mom said she saw a Tiger ST flying around and she thought it was laying eggs. We moved the furniture around for her and she's on the couch next to the sliding glass door. So she has a pretty good view of one side of the yard. I figured I'd humor her, but Mom was right! I found two eggs, only they weren't on the one that I found the caterpillars on before (which is also the one she can see). It laid eggs on one of the two Sweetbay Magnolias I bought earlier this spring! I only found two eggs and they were on the same tree. Maybe it didn't like the other one? But at least they've found me! Also, I have to say I thought they laid eggs on the underside of the leaves. Maybe it depends on the host plant? Seems like I saw them on the underside before. Off to research!

I seem to remember the eggs being on the top side of leaves for that species, Melanie. I found one Queen caterpillar today. Had seen a Queen butterfly a week or so ago, but it didn't stick around long. I've actually only been checking the milkweeds to remove Swamp Milkweed Beetles, eggs or larva, since those pests can do a lot of damage to the plants. For once, there's a really good chance of getting enough seeds from my A. texana plants, so I really don't want the beetles around!

Woo hoo! A Queen! I bow to Her Highness. I don't think I could manage a curtsy these days! I don't see Queens too often so I get pretty excited when I do.

Linda, I once had a Tiger ST lay eggs on my Black Cherry but they died real soon after hatching. But I was thinking the eggs probably were on the top of the leaves because I would have been looking for Red-Spotted Purples which also lay on the top of the leaves. I'm still kind of bummed knowing there are eggs or caterpillars up there where I can't get to them. My dad has lots of tree friends - one of them must have a cherry picker.

We've hit that time of year when the temperature speeds up the butterflies and slows down the Melanie. It's so hot out there. It got hot early this year so it makes it seem like it should be later in the year than it is. I really need to get out there and weed so maybe the butterflies can find the host plants! My Sassafras is also doing this weird thing where all the leaves on top changed color and fell off but now it's sprouting leaves lower down on the tree. I've been feeling a little better lately; I switched medicines again and I've been sleeping really well so I think that's helping. Maybe I can try to get out just for an hour or two. After that, I start melting. I guess I could wash my car, too. I need to take it for an oil change but I'm embarrassed at how dirty it is! Green tip from Melanie - park your car on the lawn when you wash it so you don't waste water!

And thanks Jim!

Sunny for first time in many days , still rained this morning , I was watching a Rufous Hummingbird a few minutes ago ,, Got this earlier today ,First Swallowtail all season so far here , Couple of Eastern Males probably
You can tell their different though , on the thorax? behind their head one solid yellow stripe on one of them ,, Two yellow stripes on the other , broken antennae and tales are different also , Coloration of lower wing border is also slightly different

I don't know Jim, the amount of blue on them makes me think they're more likely female. Could be regional differences, though.

I'm just glad Lily Celebration Week is over. I think all the pictures on the front page were making me sneeze! But seriously, lilies make my allergies go nuts. They're beautiful, but not worth the cost of Zyrtec.

If I ever decide to leave the air conditioning, I might have some pictures to share. I do need to take some pictures of my Tiger ST cats. They're really growing and their eyespots are way more prominent. The eggs haven't hatched yet.

Millielong I get five kinds of Swallowtails here , two can be yellow as the photo , If their one or the other of the two makes a lot of difference ,, I'm saying I don't know for sure ,
at least after rain , rain and more rain I am seeing some Buttterflies ,
until today , one Question Mark is all I had seen since the last post
Today Cabbage White;
Summer Blue Azure
Red Admiral
and of course the Swallowtails , and a Hummingbird with lots of Bees ,, Feast

American Snout


Red Admirals
1


5


6

Red admiral city. I laugh every time I see your hoards of red admirals on the coneflowers.

Well, it looks like it's time for some learning. Female Tiger Swallowtails have much more blue than the males. Let's demonstrate!

Here's a male Tiger ST with very little blue. Sometimes, it looks like they have no blue at all.



Now, here's a female. You can see she has much more blue.



But the females also have a special dark form that mimics the Pipevine Swallowtail. To my human eyes though, they look far more like the Spicebush Swallowtail. Except they are way bigger. Also, they have solid black bodies with no dots. Spicebush have dots on the body. If you see them in the right light, you can see the stripes on the wings.



I'd say I can't wait until my caterpillars turn into their butterfly form, but honestly, I'm really enjoying the caterpillars!

Jack, when I need to go to a happy place, I'm going to imagine I'm sitting in a comfy lawn chair with a cold beverage watching the Red Admirals on your coneflowers.

Millielong

These three I get here ,I believe all may have the yellow form , not sure
last link lands at the image Gallery . I am letting a now rather large Liriodendron ,Tulipfera grow (From seed by yours truly) hoping for more , The black cherry I had to top because of wires , Small and bush like , only it is there ,,,

Papilio canadensis
Identification: Smaller than Eastern or Western Tiger Swallowtails. Upperside of forewing with relatively broad black stripes; underside with marginal yellow ...
www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Papilio-canadensis

Papilio appalachiensis
Identification: Similar to Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, but larger. Wings slightly angular and vertical black stripes narrower. Hindwings of males triangular.
www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Papilio-appalachiensis

Swallowtail
Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail. Papilio glaucus - eastern-tigerswallowtail-gjs.jpg. Papilio glaucus. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. Papilio glaucus - Papilio_glaucus.
www.butterfliesandmoths.org/gallery?...tiger+swallowtail

Saw one of my new Black Swallowtails yesterday; it was a female. Felt like a proud butterfly mother.

Greene, you're female? I always pictured you as a guy for some reason.

Well, it's show and tell time. I spent a few minutes outside gathering food and melting. I was watching the weather the other day at like 9am and the "feels like" temperature was already 10 degrees higher than the actual temperature. It's so hot outside!

Here's a Gulf Frit caterpillar. I actually haven't seen many of them lately, although the adults have been flying around.



Here's one of those adults.



To recap, I have three Io Moth caterpillars: large, medium, and small. Large molted last night and Medium is working on it. I took some photos of Large. He's super awesome and he'll only get bigger! Check out how he looks right at the camera!



I told Mom I needed to move the Tiger ST cats into a bigger condo and she giggled. But she's on some powerful pain killers after that knee replacement so she's been giggling a lot. But I did clean a new home for them and got them some new food. I think the color on them is so beautiful. Makes me wonder what would happen if I went to a paint store and asked them to match my caterpillar? And hey, this one looked right at the camera, too! I've got some smart caterpillars, I think. As you can see, the Tiger ST also has eyespots, but not nearly as well-developed as the Spicebush cats. He also managed to silk my hand pretty good while I was taking pictures.



This Monk Skipper was on the plumbago. They're always on the plumbago.



And this Long-Tailed Skipper was only eating porterweed. Passed right by the salvia and pentas and went straight for porterweed only. He was also, very, very fast.



A Spicebush ST also visited the plumbago. The second picture is where he's flying away to another bloom. I kind of like it, though. Very surreal.



I also had a flyby from a Cloudless Sulphur. And two Zebra Longwings were up front on the firebush and they couldn't seem to decide if they wanted to eat or chase each other around. Also, my Tiger ST eggs are starting to change color. I think that means the nougat filling is developing.

Popping in since I got these today.







I have not gotten any photos yet of monarchs but I have seen 7 seven so far this year. That is up from last year.

Nice Claudia!

Melanie, Yes!!!! It's beyond sweltering! We cooked up to 98 yesterday. Heat Index? Broil.
Just as you said my butterflies are back in force. I had 3 or 4 long tailed skippers going at the butterfly bush today but they were like they were on crack or something -- they were soooooooooo fast!

Hey everyone, there's a Tiger Swallowtail in the banner today!

Claudia, looks like you've got a Red Admiral and a dark-form female Tiger Swallowtail there. Nice!

Ann, at least I got a good thunderstorm this afternoon. My plants were looking very wilty. They said we only had a 20% chance today but I guess I got lucky!

Hi all. I adore the swallowtails - they are so beautiful. I've had a male hanging around would love to see a female and get some eggs. My gulf frits are eclosing and had a pretty black swallowtail eclose. I saw a female black swallowtail today but didn't see her laying eggs. Here's some pics from the last week - eastern tailed blue, the male tiger, common Buckeye, black swallowtail, gulf frit, and cabbage white..