Thanks, Melanie! I checked out the FB page.
It was a photo of Catharanthus roseus which has the common name of "Vinca" or "Madagascar Periwinkle." The common name "Vinca" is confusing because that moniker is actually the scientific name for a different plant in the same family. True Vincas usually have flowers in shades of purple to white, not the hot pink that the 'Jeopardy' photo showed.

Love the butterfly photos!

I know I've seen GrammaChar's checkered butterfly here too. But not sure if I've seen the tropical ones up in this part of Tx but maybe further south or west.

Yes, the Dainty Sulphur and White Checkered Spot are pretty easy. It's the "Ladies" that confuse me. You posters are better at butterfly identification than I am, so correct me if I'm wrong. Painted Lady has four spots on the hindwing while the American Lady has only two? It's hard to hang the camera AND the binoculars both around my neck at the same time.

http://flutter-butterfly-sanct...
Kind of looks like link pic to me . Tropical checkered skipper.

Thanks for that link, jmorth. The ones I have seem to be more black than brown. But then, my butterfly book is very old so maybe the name has changed. And is it possible that the butterfly's color could fade with age? Seriously, what with all the different instars of caterpillars and spots on wings and the differences in male and female...well, it's enough to make one's brain explode. The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know!

You said it GrammaChar! I feel the same! The more I know, the less I know!!

Not so good picture of one of the Blues fluttering about in the pasture this morning.

Well said GrammaChar

Beautiful little butterfly, Christine!

I usually go by the one white spot in the orange part of the upper surface of the forewing, if I can see it. If the white spot is there, it's an American Lady, otherwise a Painted Lady.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/...

GrammaChar said:Yes, the Dainty Sulphur and White Checkered Spot are pretty easy. It's the "Ladies" that confuse me. You posters are better at butterfly identification than I am, so correct me if I'm wrong. Painted Lady has four spots on the hindwing while the American Lady I I
has only two? It's hard to hang the camera AND the binoculars both around my neck at the same time.

What a great tip, Linda! I had never paid attention to that tiny white spot. Now I'll look for it always! Thank you!

Thanks, Linda! I knew there was a way to tell from the topside, but the Painted Ladies usually close their wings to me and it's easier to get a picture of the bottom side. And I can remember two eyespots vs. four eyespots.

I went to the movies today so no butterflies for me. I may have devious plans for tomorrow...if I can crawl out of bed. It was pretty difficult today. Did not sleep well. But, I've taken my meds so I'm going to lay down and try! Dad always used to tell me as a kid, "Turn the lights off, be quiet, and close your eyes." Like it was that simple. If only I had known back then I had anxiety I could have thrown that up at him. Of course, now he has anxiety, too (well, we finally got him to admit to it) so he's on Xanax and I'm on Klonopin and and we feel each other's pain. And with that, good night!

And...here I am again. That didn't last long.I woke up around three to hit the inhaler and noticed my Zebra Swallowtail chrysalis had really darkened up while I was gone yesterday. I figured I better get it out of the small container it was sharing with the Pipevine cats and put it in the pupation chamber (that's the Critter Keeper I have that's just full of chrysalises). Need to clean that thing. I think they're all empty now. Anyway, I woke up again around five, hit the inhaler again (sensing a pattern here), and put my face up to the Critter Keeper (no glasses) but even I could see it was out! Since sleep seems out of the question, at least for a while, I took it into the bathroom, hoped it didn't know how to fly yet, and took some photos!



I'm actually planning to go to the preserve where the Zebra Swallowtails hang out later today, but I have to wait until it's light outside. I also have to wait until Visionworks opens because my new lenses came in and they need an hour to replace them. So I'll have time to kill, and something I want to acquire...

Back in butterfly news, one thing I think is cool about Zebra Swallowtails (my fave butterfly, in case you forgot) is that their tails get longer in the summer. I know it's not summer yet here, but it's hot enough for me. Hmm...let me check something. Okay, here's a pic I took of a wild Zebra ST that has its tails intact. I took this Mar 18 so that was probably the brood that overwintered in the chrysalis. Then, compare it to today's generation (once again, in the stellar lighting of my bathroom).



See the difference? Now, I was reading about a different butterfly whose males have longer tails in the winter. And that butterfly is...drum roll...the Goatweed Leafwing! Yup, BAMONA got back to me.

Here's the sighting page: http://www.butterfliesandmoths...

And here's the species page: http://www.butterfliesandmoths...

As you can see from the map of reported sightings, they only hang out in the top part of Florida, and everyone knows central Florida is way better. But that means I'll have to travel if I want to see one of these things in person.

Okay, I'm off to make a pot of tea and have a muffin. Oh, in Melanie health news, I lost five pounds! At least when I see my doctor in two weeks I'll have something good to show her!

That is really interesting how the tail gets longer in summer. I've never seen on of those in person!

Lookie there, my pics on BOMANA! Awesome, Melanie!

Now that the wildflowers are fading, I decided it was time to change my avatar. Gulf Frits are one of my favorite butterflies - but then, I like them all.

That Zebra Swallowtail is stunning!

Beautiful, GrammaChar.

Everyone has some beautiful pics of outstanding butterflies. Neat about tail length Melanie.

For losing 5 lbs.! You GO girl!

I got confused there for a minute on the BAMONA sighting link & wondered why in the world the Goatwing was listed as in Texas when Melanie is in FL. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, then I finally remembered that Melanie submitted it for Christine. Confusion cleared.

I guess I could expect to see the Goatwings here in NORTH FL where it's way less crowded than that congested ol' central FL where Melanie lives.
Ducking & running......

The Zebra Swallowtail is magnificent. I've only seen one myself, it was a couple of years after planting a couple of Paw Paw trees in the back yard.
Incidentally, they're blooming right now.

jmorth said:The Zebra Swallowtail is magnificent. I've only seen one myself, it was a couple of years after planting a couple of Paw Paw trees in the back yard.
Incidentally, they're blooming right now.

I am not familiar with Paw Paw trees. Would love to see more flower photos. Do they produce fruit? More info, please.

Oh, Charlotte. You must be educated! Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is also known as custard apple by some. The family it's in is mostly tropical and the Pawpaw is the only North American representative of it. They're dear to my heart because in WV, you call your grandpa, "Pawpaw". So my grandpa was always Pawpaw Ray. Likewise, my grandma is Mawmaw Betty. And my Pawpaw loved to eat Pawpaws. His brother, too. Grandma says they could eat a whole bushel by themselves. Now, my Pawpaw Ray planted a bunch of the seeds all around their place, and since they have good soil and live right next to a river, he had great success with them. Pawpaw Ray died in 2006, a year before I started raising butterflies, and I can't help but wonder what he'd think of me purposely feeding caterpillars and keeping them as pets. I think he would have liked it as long as I left his vegetable garden alone.

In fall of 2014, I went up for a genealogy conference with my dad and I tried a Pawpaw for the first time. I had never been there when they were ripe because we never visited that late in the year. I liked it. Taste a bit like pineapple, but everyone has their own opinion. You can see my picture of the fruit I ate in the Plant Database at Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)

More on Pawpaws and today's adventures after I eat dinner! Man, it smells good out there.