Thanks, Jack. I'm taking Mucinex DM and it's helping. Chloraseptic spray seems to be helping, too. But I still can't talk very much. So instead I'll post pictures!
Here's the Polydamas I set free this morning. It actually opened its wings for a few seconds so I can show you what they look like on the top. You can see why they are also called the Gold Rim Swallowtail. I like Polydamas better. It's more scientific and I can call them "Polly" for short. Heck, my neighbors probably wonder why I'm yelling at someone named Polly all the time. We have a Polly on our street but we live on the opposite ends of the street. Polly is also into wildflowers and grows a lot of natives but she doesn't keep them as neat as we do and some of the other neighbors talk smack about her. So I stick up for her. Hers is the only other yard with a noticeable Zebra Longwing presence so she must be doing something right. In other neighbor news, my next-door neighbor, Jim, is in an epic fight with his Orchid Tree (Bauhinia spp.). I'm sitting here watching the Gators and I can see out the sliding glass door. There's not much wind today but every now and then his Orchid Tree starts shaking violently. They're invasive so I'm hoping he's removing the darn thing and not just cutting it back. It was planted by the previous owner whose son worked for a nursery. Anyway, I promised you guys pictures...
And there were some Long-Tailed Skippers on the porterweed, as usual. I think I've had more of them this year because the butterfly pea that's their host plant never froze back to the ground last winter. I'm pushing it with the butterfly pea as it is good to Zone 10 and I'm Zone 9b, but Mom usually throws blankets on it and it comes back. But last year it never went away so the skippers had something to lay their eggs on all year. That's my theory, anyway.
My new camera just arrived so I'm going to have to figure out how to use it. So maybe expect better pictures soon? At least it's the same brand so all the controls should be similar.
