texas puddy print............what kind of rue is it that you have there?

I don't know what it was using at the ranch. There is no penta out there. Will have to research what natives it might use. I don't recognize any of the larval hosts listed under BAMONA for it as growing at the ranch.

mamajack - I have the regular ruta graveolens. At least that's what it looks like. The Black Swallowtails out here prefer it over dill, fennel and parsley and every now and then I'll find Giant Swallowtail caterpillars on it.

~ Cat

thanks cat. i would be very interested in the one they call goat's rue. so pretty and so finicky.

mamajack,

Can't recall any butterflies using goat's rue (galega officinalis) as a larval host. It is not from the rutaceae family so the BST won't use it. Looks pretty blooming though. Considering it is from the fabaceae family - it might be used by some skippers, blues or hairstreaks though - I've never seen a plant - then again, never knew about them until googled it!!!

Was reading about the goat's rue - interesting - how metformin was discovered - and also how it has a sedative effect on fish. Which is funny when I think of the two unrelated remarks - because metformin reeks of a fishy smell!!! ROFL!!!

~ Cat

metformin? where have i heard that word?

metformin - glucophage - it's diabetes medication :o) reeks...yeah REEKS like dead fish!!!

yes. yes. my sister told me about it as she is a diabetic. glucophage has been around awhile. but i haven't heard the name metformin till recently.

This cat was hanging out on a leaf of the Croton capitatus today.

Any idea? wondering if he is related to the Goatweed leafwing?

The plant has been pretty much devoured.

good picture wildflowers. i don't know that plant.

That is what I think I have also...on crotons and doveweed here. The Tropical Leafwing cats are a bit more colorful, so I think these are Goatweed Leafwings.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/...

thank you Linda. I was thinking it looked something like the one you posted on the Texas Natives ID cubit. I'll save seeds of this one if anyone would like some cmail me.

http://cubits.org/NativePlants...

What I don't get...there always seems to be eggs on those crotons (whatever kind they are) and yet I'm not seeing the butterfly. Maybe the eggs are old and won't hatch?

I admit that I haven't looked closely for the eggs and such before now But I've learned so much from you all, that it makes me more observant.

That little cat on the croton from yesterday has now curled himself up in the leaf.

I'm not sure which one this is.... many of them are similar so not sure. It's a smaller butterfly, maybe a fritillary?

That last picture could be a Pearl Crescent. Your cat on the Croton sure looks like the Goatweed Leafwing that is on the www.dallasbutterflies.com site under caterpillars. Good picture of it too.

what is a croton? it's not hardy here is it?

Thank you Sheila.

Croton capitatus should be hardy for you Mamajack!

http://plants.usda.gov/java/pr...

I wanted to get a pic of the butterfly, but only saw one laying eggs once and it was really moving fast, so couldn't get my camera in time. However, I found wings from a dead butterfly right by the crotons. Kind of strange to do that, but I put the wings together on a papertowel to see what it might look like. Maybe someone will tell me if it's a Goatweed Leafwing.

BTW, this central Texas site has two other crotons also, one of which I already had. Croton are a genus of the spurge family...most are a bit on the weedy side, but not all. And they just happen to be host plants for some butterflies (leafwings). I might even have the same species she has.

http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/bio4...

i think i know this plant. in fields a little later........this plant will have a white looking flower and it's beautiful.

I had a Goatwing last year and forgot that croton was it's host. I just pulled up two that were growing! Hopefully they dropped some seeds for next year.

This thread is on ATP now!!!