Look what i found at the garden centre today!!!

13 years ago

Hey everyone ,

found these giant swallowtail cats at the garden centre today. I bought the plant and took the cats off other plants as well!!! its a mandarin plant.

Now ive got a host plant for sure YAY!!!

Siam.

Comments (13)

karyn1
13 years ago
That's a great find and it appears that they don't use insecticides since those are probably 4th or 5th instar already.
siam_cannas
Original Author
13 years ago
Actually they do use insecticides, but they havent see the cats yet or havent used the insecticide in a few weeks on that section. Lucky i found them!
Siam :)
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eloise_ca
13 years ago
Great save Siam; I didn't know cats would hang on citrus! Maybe it's because they sense the other plants had been sprayed.
chena
13 years ago
I found another on an orange tree today looks like he has been snackin away..LOL

Kylie
karyn1
13 years ago
Eloise citrus are one of the host plants for the Giant and Two Tailed Swallowtail butterflies. Siam I'm glad you rescued them before they sprayed.
eloise_ca
13 years ago
Thanks for the info Karyn. I see lots of butterflies on my grapefruit tree, but assume it's the passion vine that keeps them around. I mostly see Monarchs, but every once in a while I see Swallowtails!
sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
13 years ago
Score!! Touch the cats and get them to put out thier red antennae then smell your hand.. I double dog dare you!! :P
karyn1
13 years ago
I like to make their osmeterium protrude but have never noticed a smell. Then again I've never held one while poking it, only when it's crawling on a plant. Is it as nasty smelling as a stink bug? BTW I'm being overrun by stink bugs this summer. I'm afraid they'll get in the house when the weather cools down, yuck!
eloise_ca
13 years ago
Lenette, that's some dare, LOL! Guess I won't find out what it smells like since I don't see swallowtail cats around.

Karyn, make their osmeterium protrude!! Just kidding. Thanks for the info, made me google and learn more about butterflies!
seamommy
13 years ago
All of my citrus have swallowtail cats on them. In fact my 6 citrus trees are the only plants that have the ST cats on them. And although I haven't seen any chrysylis (sp?) I have seen a lot more ST flutterbys lately. Cheryl
sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
13 years ago
"make their osmeterium protrude!!" LOL! That sounds totally perverted! I'm sooo gonna tell my dh to do that and see what he says haha.

Yeah, they stink as bad as stink bugs too. My youngest son would get them to stick and try to chase his sister with them lol.
rialira
13 years ago
ok ok ok, get this: I've been back and lurking for about a week now, but I HAD to pop in and just share this ridiculous coincidence - I was looking at the pictures of the cats and snickering to myself at "making their osmeterium protrude" when what do you know, the FIRST swallowtail I've seen this year flutters past the sliding glass door I'm sitting in front of. can you believe it? LOL.
sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
13 years ago
rialira: Maybe it's a sign...change? I'm not sure what butterflies represent. Cool though.