I've got a couple of Giant Swallowtail chrysalises...those usually eclose in spring. They're now in my shed, since a heated house later might make them come out too early. It's been unseasonably warm, in 80's, last few days, even set a new record in San Antonio the other day, I think. Many butterflies have come around that weren't here before. They're hungry for nectar, too. We had our first actual freeze (28.4°) last Thursday. With that, a lack of rain lately and seasonal seeding out and dormancy, there's less plants blooming in the area. I put some rotting fruit out and lots of bees and a few butterflies are going to that every day. I've been releasing American Lady butterflies I've raised on Sweet Everlasting...here's one of them clinging to my finger before flying away. And a Red Admiral here that was lurking near the rotting persimmons. Oddly, it's only the 2nd one I've seen this fall.

Lots of American Snouts left since the big fall influx...and quite a few Variegated Fritillaries on a couple of large White Mistflower plants...my other plants of that kind have stopped blooming, unfortunately.

A Texas Bordered Patch...and a sulfur...there's quite a few of those.

Common Checkered Skipper. [

Okay, last but certainly not least, this beautiful butterfly showed up today...looks kind of like the White Peacock, but maybe not? It's not one I know.

Thanks for that info. both Melanie & Linda. Great photos Linda! You certainly have some variety going there.

Great variety Linda! I'm impressed! And that looks like a White Peacock to me.

Can someone identify this little one for me?

Debra check out Autographa corusa and Autographa californica.

Thanks, mellie! Normally those would only be found far down toward the south tip of Texas. But I looked at the county checklist on the Birds and Moths of North America site and the White Peacock was listed for my county, so they must come up to this area on rare occasions.

Thank you, Margaret. I think you are right, and congratulations! Even Janet over on Cubits was stumped.

Debra, I wasn't sure because you didn't say anything about size, but I thought they sure looked like your photo. Maybe next time give us an idea of size. I have a couple of pretty good books on insects and spiders.

about an inch long? janet says:
==

Looking at the second photo there is the white marks which some Autographa species have, although there is more than one and it seems there are plenty of them in your part of the world. The white 'blob' is separated from the 'Y' shape which indicates another species than Autographa californica, I can't find an Autographa corusa.

Next is to find which Autographa species you are likely to have in TX.

Look at the number of species and you will see the difficulties .. look at the other pages following this one too!
http://mothphotographersgroup.......

Syngrapha sp. is another possibility.
==
Next post, she says:
Here's another similar moth. Chrysodeixis includens the Soybean Looper moth, look at some of the variations. It's reaaly impossible to tell without a specimen, due to variations often the only way to tell is to examine the genitalia.

http://mothphotographersgroup.......

now you know what you're up against, it ain't easy.
===

Happy I found a goodie to challenge.

I know they are around here, I have a couple of photos but I just never got around to id-ing them. The links wouldn't work for me.

Check me out folks! I got my first badge - and it's the butterfly badge, of course! Thanks to SongofJoy for giving me the necessary acorns! I really need to get out there with my camera so I can earn some more!

Linda, glad you got to see that White Peacock!

Looks good, mellie! The other way to get acorns is posting one of those "Idea" articles that run on the main page of the site!

mellielong said:Check me out folks! I got my first badge - and it's the butterfly badge, of course! Thanks to SongofJoy for giving me the necessary acorns! I really need to get out there with my camera so I can earn some more!

Linda, glad you got to see that White Peacock!

Or really nice people like Debra send you acorns! Now I have three badges! I feel like a real member now!

Ok, all you Yankees. I'm back with a couple of butterflies that we can all be thankful for!

Here's a Long-Tailed Skipper. I'm not seeing quite as many of these in the garden, but they're still hanging out. And they still love to nectar on porterweed.



This Monarch did not want to stop for a picture. I really had to wait it out. But that was ok because I was bringing my orchids back outside from the garage (it got down in the 30s Wednesday night). I figured it was a boy because it kept flying by the milkweed and once I got the photo, I could see I was correct.



I also saw a Zebra Longwing and a Cassius Blue but not long enough to take a photo. Oh, and when I was driving in I slowed down to avoid a Cloudless Sulphur. All of my milkweed is in bloom - even the Giant Milkweed which doesn't bloom very often! Still lots of porterweed, senna, and sweet almond bush for nectar. I had two Monarch caterpillars but I think they got big enough to wander off because I can't find them anymore.

Lovely photos Melanie. What kinds of milkweed do you have? And which of those are most drought & sun tolerant for you?

Let's see. I have Giant Milkweed (Calotropis gigantea), Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica), Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa), and some kind of milkweed that only came with the tag "Native milkweed". I'm not even sure it's still in the butterfly garden. It was looking pretty ragged and taken over by weeds last time I looked. The tropical milkweed gets the most usage although I see caterpillars on the others, as well. All of them grow in full sun, surprising for Florida. Once they get established, I really don't do anything to them. And most of the tropical milkweed coming up is from seeds that spread from earlier plants I had in the same general space.

Thanks for the thumbs up (and the acorn, too) everyone!

Thanks Melanie. I just ordered some seed for the curassavica. I'll have to see if I can find the Calotropis gigantea.

Interesting, everything I find says they are only hardy to zone 10. You're in 9 but I'm in 8. The UFAS says 30 degrees & there will be leaf damage.