Really nice Meredith!

No problems; I selected the name 'greene' as it was non-gender-specific. I was raised with an older brother and think more like a guy, but yep, I am a mom...but you'd never catch me all gussied up anymore. In the olden days (when I was young and thin...really thin...I looked like this...in a dress.



I saw the Black Swallowtail...either the same one or another female. They seem to come around when I am watering the garden.

Sorry to be posting so many pictures of the same butterfly, but I couldn't pick just one! Took these within a few minutes this morning. I don't often see butterflies on my daylilies, but this one was diving into them! We had rain yesterday, so maybe it was just thirsty?

Since I found that Queen cat, I've noticed eggs on my milkweeds. Now that some have hatched, it seems to me that they look like Monarch cats under magnification! I've never found Monarch cats in July, so I'm doubting myself! Hmm!
Natalie, with all those beautiful shots of the tiger swallowtails, you're definitely right to post all of them!

Thanks Linda!

I've never seen a Monarch here, but I'm ready for them if they show up. I have lots of milkweed on my property, so I'm hopeful!

Ooh, I have catching up to do!

Meredith, lovely photos of all those species. Has your Spicebush come out yet?

Greene, you look lovely, but I'm definitely with you on the not wanting to get all dressed up. I don't so much mind dresses and skirts - it's the shoes that kill me! If I can't wear sneakers, I'm out.

Natalie, there is no such thing as too many pictures - especially of a Tiger Swallowtail!

Linda, it's too bad we can't trade Monarchs and Queens. I guess the grass is always greener in someone else's garden.

Well, I start talking about Tiger Swallowtails and suddenly everyone's got them! That's an excellent thing, though. I have a little lesson today for those who don't raise butterflies or who have never found them as eggs. Now, remember this is what the Tiger ST eggs looked like when I found them a few days ago.



I talk about them getting darker before the caterpillar hatches, but let me show you. This is what the egg looked like this afternoon.



And this is what the caterpillar looked like when it hatched a couple hours later!



In case you didn't know, caterpillars chew their way out. It's not like they have beaks to break that shell so they gotta use the tools they have. They generally eat the egg as their first meal. Some caterpillar eggs are laid near, but not on, the host plant so they really need the egg's energy to get to the plant.

And I got one of the Zebra Longwings to hold still for me today. This one is a little tattered, but it was still flying just fine.

Melanie, thanks for the egg pictures! I wish I knew if there is a plant here that they would lay eggs on. I'll have to research that, and see if I can find something that they like.

@mellielong,
Question/suggestion:
Have you ever posted individual plant images to show us which plants the butterflies need to lay their eggs? I've seen 'lists' of botanical names of suggested plants, but it might be nice to see the actual plant photos to help us picture how each will look in our own garden settings.

greene said:@mellielong,
Question/suggestion:
Have you ever posted individual plant images to show us which plants the butterflies need to lay their eggs? I've seen 'lists' of botanical names of suggested plants, but it might be nice to see the actual plant photos to help us picture how each will look in our own garden settings.

Natty, for all those lovely photos!!!!

Greene, I love the photo!!! Let's see, must have been either homecoming or prom. You have a most lovely smile.

Thanks Ann!

Greene, that was a wonderful suggestion for Melanie! I sure could use that information myself! I try to plant things that butterflies like, but I have no idea if I've ever planted anything that they truly need.

I've got a question about saving seeds from Showy Milkweed. As you all probably know, those seed pods are large, and when they break open, the seeds are very hard to clean. Ann had a fantastic suggestion to put a rubber band around the pod, before it opened. Just wondering if anyone knows how soon I can put the rubber band around it? Do I need to wait until it is getting close, or can it be done sooner? I've promised Live Monarch ( http://www.livemonarch.com/) some seeds, and since they need to be cleaned, it sure would be nice to catch them before they split!

Natalie The large Syrica milkweed I have , I would imagine you could rubber band the pods as soon as they start to dry or when mature , It would probably take 2 rubber bands though ,,

I think you would need to wait until they look like they are close to popping open Natty. When they begin to fade to a lighter green on their way to being tan.

Thank you both! I better get up there and take a look!

Orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Do you have any organza? Or fine mesh? Or old stockings? Oh man, I just had a thought...... Go get some knee high stockings (hose) & then put those over the pods using a twist tie or some such to close the stocking around the stem below the pod. Then just wait till the pod matures & breaks open. Viola'!

I've never collected milkweed seed, but those sound like great ideas, guys.

Hmm...I do have pictures of my plants scattered in the database, but I suppose I could take more. My garden isn't "pretty" or structured like a lot of the ones I see in the multi-plant photos and I have tons of weeds so I guess I'm a little shy about posting things other than up-close photos of the leaves and such. I will try to remember to take pictures of the plants before I go looking for caterpillars. And I will also remember to charge my battery for my camera. So many things to remember!

Ann, that would work, I'm sure, but I don't want the pod to break open. It is a nightmare to clean the fluff off the seeds after they have opened. If you can get to the pod right before it opens, it is a piece of cake, because the fluff hasn't expanded yet.

It's the difference between this


and this

Ah, then the rubber band thing is probably the best way to go.

Melanie, I can only speak for myself, but there is no way I'd ever think anything bad about an unstructured garden or weeds! You should see my messy garden and weeds. I like unstructured. It's called a Cottage Garden. Weeds though? Not so much. But, they are what they are, and like me, I'm sure you have better things to do than pull weeds all day long!