We came from here: The thread "August 2016 Butterflies, Moths & Larva" in Gardening for Butterflies, Birds and Bees forum

It's raining here so no butterflies. But Elaine raising her Giant Swallowtail reminded me of one of my favorite pictures. So I thought I'd use it as this month's thumbnail. I took this at MOSI and was trying to show off the distinctive red osmeterium. Plus, it makes me laugh.



Love those pics, Christine!

Ann, keep track of those little guys! You know they lay silk as they walk so that's part of what you're feeling. And when you pull them off, you're pulling the silk. I like squishy caterpillars. But I could see how it might be weird if you're used to the bulkier hornworms.

Dew Drop Inn's latest pics:

< Cabbage White >


< Silver Spotted Skipper >


< Buckeye >


Sooty Wing Skipper >


< Peck's Skipper >


European Skipper > (I think)


At dusk, back yard - Hummingbird Moth in the 4 o'clocks



Night moth -


Multiple BF -

Great pics as always, jmorth. The Dew Drop Inn! Love it. Note to self, I need this plant!

J Awesome shots I love the buckeyes

Dew Drop Inn is perfect!

I also agree on needing some Duranta! It's a beautiful pollinator magnet... and some pentas, like Mellie has.

thanks for the new thread!
I dashed out before work yesterday to get one milkweed leaf for my cats, only to find 13 eggs to collect. The plant they were on is always patrolled by little ants, and I feared certain death. Will ants eat monarch eggs?

Jack gets an acorn for all those beautiful photos on this dreary day here in FL.

Lots of things will eat Monarch eggs and I'm pretty sure ants are one of those things. Ants can have some complicated relationships with plants and caterpillars, though. There's a type of Blue caterpillar that secretes honeydew and the ants take care of the caterpillars! I saw it on a nature show and it was bonkers!

FYI, fall has officially arrived because Starbucks has pumpkin spice. Just letting you guys know.

I have seen ants eat butterfly eggs. I was out gardening in my yard one day and I saw a giant swallowtail lay three eggs on a potted lemon tree. I was in the middle of a chore and told myself that i would take the eggs when I finished, but when I went to get the eggs about an hour later, big ants had already sucked them dry. I know that because they were still on them.
So I learned my lesson, if you want to save an egg or a cat don't leave then where you saw them, take them right away

Siver Spotted Skipper


Buckeye

Lovely, the buckeyes are really gorgeous. Melanie thanks for the picture of the swallowtail with his stinkhorns extended! Now I don't feel like i need to harass my poor little lonely cat to show me his. He's getting big now, nearly half an inch longer than he was when he came in. Eating and pooping well.

Lots of beautiful pics today.

Perfect pic of the silver spotted skipper, Jim!

Hi all!
I haven't taken many photos this summer. I've just been lurking and loving all of the photos that you guys post!

However, an interesting dark morph female Tiger Swallowtail made me run in for the camera. Her left wings didn't totally get the message that she was to be dark morph. She really didn't want to be photographed and was noticeably annoyed before she flew away. Oddly, the dark morph females in my yard seem more annoyed at being photographed than their yellow counterparts of either sex. Has anyone else noticed that?




I also snapped a pic of a male while I had the camera out.

Gorgeous, Danita!

That is quite a catch Danita! I am fascinated by those partially dark morphs.

jmorth, thank you for the acorns by the way. That's what I chose for my raffle prize!

I also caught a yellow swallowtail on the butterfly bush.

I didn't see the magnificent swallowtail today but I saw some skippers.

Very nice shots Christine!

Take care in Florida, Ann and all those in the path of the hurricane.

Thank you, Ronnie.

My first round today, lunch at the Dew Drop Inn -

Buckeye -


Cabbage White -


Skipper -


Silver Spotted Skipper -


Multiple BF kinds -


4 BF in 1 frame -


Elsewhere about the yard...
< Hairstreak >


< Monarch >

There was a Black Swallowtail out there too, unfortunately, no pic.