Ok, the news is seriously depressing me so I'm just going to post pretty pictures of butterflies and pretend like the real world doesn't exist for a while.
I have pictures to post from the last couple of days. I didn't have a lot of photos until today because it's been raining for the last two days. So we'll start with some chrysalis pictures. First up, is a Gulf Fritillary. If you walk out the side door of our garage, the passion vine grows to the right side. On the left side, we have a small wall to hide the garbage cans and air conditioning units. It's about four feet high and the caterpillars seem to find their way over there a lot to build their chrysalises. There were two but one that was on the corner of the wall mysteriously vanished the other day. This one built his chrysalis on some wood my dad had cut out to use for pen blanks (he woodturns and makes ink pens out of the blocks). I asked him if he was going to need that wood in the next two weeks but he's on vacation for the next two weeks so we're good. (FYI, I didn't go to WV with my family because I, with help from my therapist, decided it was better for my mental and physical health if I stayed home.) So here's the Gulf Frit who decided wood blocks felt like a good place to settle down.
And three of my Viceory cats made their chrysalises. They have this weird "knob" on them; at least, that's what I call it. Don't know why it's there but it must work or it wouldn't be there. Also, in case you didn't know, chrysalises can move. This one kept swaying the opposite direction every time I tried to take the picture. It was getting a little annoying. I think it knew what I was doing.
And my three Orange-Barred Sulphurs emerged. For lack of a better classification, I was calling them small, medium, and large. Because they were clearly different sizes. Sulphurs can vary quite a bit, but one of these was quite small. I was worried about him, but he seemed okay. Oddly enough, all were male. Here's what they look like right before they emerge.
The second one that came out had a slightly wrinkled wing. I didn't see him fly off, but he disappeared so I'm hoping for the best.
Today, the biggest one came out. I tried to get the lighting where you could see the orange "bar" across the top wings. Males also have some orange at the bottom. Females do not have the top orange bar, but they have orange at the bottom of their wings along with many black or gray spots.
Although that was my biggest Orange-Barred, while he was sitting there an even bigger one flew over to challenge his territory! Mine couldn't fly so he kind of sat there and took it and I guess the other one got bored and flew away and nectared on my firebush instead. Tried to show the orange bar here, too.
I still have crazy amounts of Zebra Longwings.
And the Duskywings are my faithful companions.
I'm not sure which skipper this is, but I see them from time to time. It's not big enough to be a Brazilian Skipper, I don't think. I may send this one to BAMONA out of curiosity.
The Gulf Frits are still out in force. And they like my Mexican Flame Vine! I planted it because I saw one at USF Botanical Gardens and it was a butterfly magnet. I don't think they have it anymore because I can't remember seeing it the last few times I've been there. Mine has bloomed before but just one or two flowers; this is the first real cluster of flowers I've had.
But they still like the porterweed, too.
And I found a Monarch caterpillar munching away.
That's it for today, folks. I did see a Giant ST in the yard flying through. There was also a mysterious dark butterfly flying high in the oak trees but I couldn't ID it. I also saw two Tiger STs while driving to and from the movies today. Now, I think I'm going to go pet my caterpillars. That usually makes me feel better.
2 
1 
(2 in background)
Boy, that red streak on those Red Admirals sure stands out!
3 BF / 2 bees
