Congrats! I had to look twice, I thought the dark dots were baby cats, then I realized it was frass caught in the webbing! LOL!!! Thanks for sharing, now I know what to look for if I am fortunate enought to get some eggs on my Hollyhocks.

Mechelle

Congratulations on the Painted Lady cats! I don't know if it's unusual to get them, but it seems like people hardly ever post on here about them. I saw a PL butterfly here several years ago; it was nectaring on the butterfly bush. I was hoping for cats, but I never did see any in all of these years that I've been butterfly gardening. I've planted hollyhocks, mallow, and have a Rose of Sharon bush, but they ignore all of them. I think that might have been the only time that I ever saw a PL butterfly here though, which was about 3 years ago. I get American Ladies on my pussytoes and Pearly Everlasting, but the Painted Ladies seem to be elusive. So I think you're really lucky to have them. Enjoy!
Cathy

I've never had PL's on hollyhocks, but have had a checked skipper laying eggs on my dwarf hollyhock.

Note - the picture is now missing.

I'm not seeing your images, Faith, but CONGRATS nonetheless! I have never had PL cats either, but have planted many things that are listed as larval hosts for them - they do use a wide range. So, you are a lucky lady!

I am seeing a lot of PLs in the garden this year, as well as the Red Admirals, Mourning Cloaks, Question Marks, and Variegated Frits. This is the first year I've ever had the VFs and there are lots of them here this year.

In babies and eggs, I have VFs, Monarchs, Red Admirals, Cabbage Whites, QMs, and Black Swallowtails.

Last night, my little Nessus Sphinx showed up. Everyone is thumping each other on the head to try to open up a position on the fruit feeder - silly things!

Susan

OMG!!! Where was my head???? After I posted the pictures, I moved them to another album. Let's try this again

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Congrats, congrats!
I used to plant hollyhocks hoping to get PLs, but never did. That might be because the adults rarely if ever fly here? :)

Anyway, it's good to see pictures of them. Keep us posted as to how they progress.

Sherry

congratulations faith! I had an American lady laying eggs inside the pearly everlasting but I haven't checked for cats ...too much garden work to raise butterflies yet!

We also have pussytoes and hollyhocks right next to the pearly so that looks like it could be a great spot for "ladies night" :) Tony

I checked on the little critters this morning before coming to work and there wasn't a one to be found. I don't know if they crawled off to pupate or if the birds found themselves a tasty snack. I'm thinking positive and hoping I will have 5 new Painted Ladies flitting around my flowers soon.

Here's hoping they are okay, Faith! Were they pretty big cats?

I had 9 Painted Ladies and American ladies nectaring on the Coreopsis yesterday (as well as Variegated Frits and Red Admirals). I've never seen so many butterflies on one little plant.

Susan

Yes, Susan, they were fairly chubby little fellows and I had suspected that they were ready to pupate, so was not surprised to see them gone. I have tried to find where they might have gone to pupate, but no success. I have the same problem with Black Swallowtails. They grow and become good sized and then disappear. The Gulf Fritallaries just move down the limb or over on the trellis and pupate. And they always eclose during the day when I am at work, never on the weekend or in the morning or evening when I am at home. (I think there is a plot to keep me from watching - LOL).

I know that I will plant hollyhocks from now on. I love watching the cats grow and develop. Who knows, I may catch them when they move off to pupate one of these days.

Ms. Faith