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misssherryg

Little Yellow Female Tiger Swallowtail

MissSherry
11 years ago

I saw a yellow female tiger swallowtail earlier today. She was very small for a tiger, and I tried to get her picture when she nectared at my blooming orange tree, but she flew off before I could. She came back to the orange tree this afternoon and tried to avoid me by flying up high in the tree. There's a tall ladder right by the orange tree, so I climbed it and got her picture! Here's hoping that she finds one of the the males I've seen lately, including one I released myself! The wild black cherry trees have lots of new growth on them, so she could lay her eggs on one of those. Here's her picture -

{{gwi:457784}}

Sherry

Comments (10)

  • tepelus
    11 years ago

    Aww, she's pretty!

    Karen

  • Tony G
    11 years ago

    Very nice Miss Sherry! I'm hoping my 2 button bush plants finally bloom this year. Would love to see some more tigers in the garden Tony

  • MissSherry
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Tigers just LOVE buttonbush, Tony, so if yours bloom and there are any tigers within miles, you'll see them!:)

    I released another male yesterday from my last tiger chrysalis, and the last pipevine swallowtail emerged in the cage, also - this one, finally, was a male. I sure hope he finds a female out there now, because the pipevines are growing rapidly.

    Sherry

  • caterwallin
    10 years ago

    Sherry, Congrats on getting a yellow Tiger Swallowtail! That kind is most prevalent up here at my place, although since I started getting Pipevine Swallowtails here several years ago, I've also been seeing the black female form. I hope that you get to see many more of both the yellow form and the black form this year. I'll soon be getting ready to bring my pupas over from the outside building so I can keep an eye on them for eclosure. I have BST, Giants, and Pipevines. I'm really looking forward to digging in the garden this year and getting things ready for the beautiful butterflies.
    Cathy

  • MissSherry
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Yes, I'd think spring would be here, or nearly here, up your way, Cathy! I've been working outside a lot today, again, and I imagine you'll be doing the same soon. Once it gets real warm, or hot, I don't want to have more planting left to do!

    Sherry

  • MissSherry
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I was working in the bottom of the hollow today and saw a black form female tiger. She flitted around the new growth on one of the tulip trees, and, after touching many leaves, including the leaves of the sweet gum next to it, she laid an egg on a new leaf on the tulip tree. She was low enough in the tree that I could see what she was doing, but too high up for me to be able to reach the leaf, even on my tallest ladder. Hopefully, she'll lay some eggs on trees with leaves closer to the ground!

    Sherry

  • linda_tx8
    10 years ago

    That's great, Sherry! I have one tiny tiger cat that I found on a black Cherry tree last weekend. Funny how I can't spot the eggs usually, but as soone as it hatches, I can see the cat! I have one GST cat also, that's third instar. The big fat Pipevine Swallowtail cats I have will soon all hopefully be pupating...one has dumped so far.

  • MissSherry
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    You're ahead of me, Linda. I don't have any cats now, not even pipevine swallowtails, even though the pipevines are making lots of new growth and could support some. Hopefully, an egg-bearing female will find them.

    I've seen a black female tiger in the woods many times since I saw one laying an egg, but I don't know if she's the same one.
    I haven't even SEEN a giant swallowtail - 'wish I would!

    Sherry

  • linda_tx8
    10 years ago

    Well, I didn't get to raise any swallowtail cats last year, so it was time! And the PVST cats were egg-napped from a town nearby, BTW.

  • moonwolf_gw
    10 years ago

    Congrats, Miss Sherry!

    I have yet to see a single butterfly up here. Mom and I did see our first Ruby Throated Hummingbird of the year yesterday, though.

    Brad AKA Moonwolf

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