I'm awake and I'm trying to decide if I should go back to sleep or just give in, go to Starbucks and do something useful today. I do need to get my allergy shot...
I've been asleep a lot lately; it's also time for my B12 shot. Yes, lots of needles in my life. Lots of caterpillars, too. The Spicebush keep visiting me and I'm not complaining. I was going to tell you all I have the three green caterpillars, and eighteen eggs. But one just hatched so now I have four cats and seventeen eggs. I think I'm going to take some to MOSI. My boss is feeling pretty down. You see, the guy that owns the Tampa Bay Lightning (the hockey team in the playoffs!) has been trying to revitalize downtown for a while. This is all well and good, I suppose, except two weeks ago he starts talking about moving MOSI downtown. And then in yesterday's paper it comes out that the Hillsborough County Commissioners (the county owns part of MOSI) want to use the land it sits on to possibly build a football stadium for USF (they currently play at the Buccaneers stadium). Now, you may wonder how one would move a butterfly garden, historic tree grove, back woods area, IMAX dome, zip lines and rope courses downtown. And the truth is, I have no idea. There's also the whole problem that people in Tampa don't actually go downtown unless they work there (like I used to) or have to go to court. So my boss is really bummed out and likely fearing the future of her job.
Maybe some Spicebush cats would cheer her up? Here's some eggs I found on Spicebush and Sassafras. So far only two eggs on Sassafras and the rest on Spicebush, if you're keeping count.
My Zebra Longwing molted.
It also has a smaller friend.
My Palamedes got big, turned yellow (bad lighting in the picture) and made his chrysalis last night. Some idiot (me) dropped the container he was in and it pulled the silk away from the side. I tried taping him but he came loose when he made his chrysalis. I'm waiting for him to harden up and then I'm going to go in there and see what I can do. I've got an American Lady that didn't silk enough and is laying on the bottom of the container. I put lots of sticks in there for them to grab on to. That always helps. Okay, here's Palamedes.
I'm still releasing lots of Orange-Barreds but most of them fly away before I get a picture.
But this one cooperated and check it out - it's flexing its proboscis. Not only do butterflies have to harden their wings, but they have to fuse their proboscis. It's actually two tubes that fit together - I've heard people say it's like a zipper or velcro. So when a butterfly emerges they sit there and furl and unfurl their proboscis until it fuses. I always think it looks cool.
My firebush is finally blooming so the Zebra Longwings are happy.
I've got more Frits than I can shake a stick at. Although, the only stick I would shake at them would be the one attached to my butterfly net. And even then, it's more of a swooping motion.
And I keep finding Orange-Barred Sulphur cats which is no surprise given the ones I keep releasing. Not complaining; I've got enough Senna for everyone.
