Monthly Archives: April 2024

Lucky perk

Posted on by
Reply

Who would have guessed planting an extensive butterfly garden out my front window would have so many perks? I wanted to plant the garden there, so when I sat in my living room, I could watch the butterflies flutter by the window. (Yes, I do this more than I can count.)

A perk?

Caterpillars crawling to the area around my front door to create its chrysalis. Today, the surprise was a polydamas swallowtail. It has its silk pad and girdle created. The hope is to catch it creating its chrysalis, as it is located right out our front door.

I have lost count of the number of chrysalis that have been located in this little area surrounding my door. A definite bonus of the garden!

More spotted

Posted on by
Reply

It’s truly exciting to see more of the zebra longwings, the Floridastate butterfly! This one was enjoying some nectar from a firebush plant at my mom’s house, a first for her garden since the hurricane.

The great return

Posted on by
Reply

The Great Southern White butterflies have returned to the garden. I have noticed them almost daily now hovering and landing on their host plant, Virginia peppergrass (pepperweed). This plant grows freely all over the yard. It probably started pushing through the dirt last month. The best part, it is now growing in numerous places in my designated, safe space, garden area.

The female, which can be a dirty to gray, white coloring, with black forewing apex, and a black forewing cell spot, have sure been busy. The female lays yellow, spindle-shaped eggs, either single, or in clusters. The photographs, below, show the eggs in clusters.

My favorite distinction of this butterfly is the amazing turquoise antennal clubs. They are absolutely stunning. The wingspan of this butterfly ranges from 45 to 58 mm.

Oh, happy day!

Posted on by
Reply

Oh, happy day!!! The first time since that dreadful Hurricane Ian impacted our area in September 2022, has the state butterfly returned to our oasis.

My daughter and I became very distracted when we went outside to witness the solar eclipse today!! Yes, we are butterfly people!! This zebra longwing captured our attention and kept it for quite some time as we watched her leave behind eggs. The pure joy that radiated off of both of us when spotting the zebra longwing, and noticing what she was doing, is indescribable.

So, needless to say we took the plants that I spotted eggs on and put them into a little enclosure in hopes we will have some successful hatches and the caterpillars create chrysalis.

Carry me along

Posted on by
Reply

While standing in the garden watching an orange barred sulphur depositing eggs on my Bahama cassia tree, a monarch pair flew by grabbing my attention. I of course followed the pair while it landed on my neighbor’s tree.

I have read that mating monarchs can remain together for 16 hours or longer. It’s not until the very end of their attachment that the sperm is transferred to them female. The fertilization of the egg does not occur until right before the egg is laid on the host plant.

During mating, the male will use its claspers located on the end of its abdomen, to attach to the female’s ostium bursa.

My house seems to be a magnet for caterpillars, as I have found tons of chrysalis everywhere, and not just monarchs. If you look in the background, there is an empty gulf fritillary chrysalis.