That is fantastic!! Is that all one kind? Monarchs? Think I've released about 60 so far this year--that includes Pipevines, Monarchs, Variegated frits, and one female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.

Maybe others will post their releases as well.

I haven't kept track of my releases, but it's no where near 225 - congrats, congrats!
Sherry

Releasing 225 caterpillars is easy to do and definitely much easier than raising all of them. ;)

Yeah we got tired of people asking "how many is that?" and started a spreadsheet.
Black Swallowtail 23
Cloudless sulphur 4
Giant Swallowtail 17
Great Southern White 10
Gulf Fritillary 47
Julia 6
Monarch 48
Orange barred sulphur 26
Polydamas Swallowtail 9
Queen 3
White Peacock 2
Zebra Longwing 30

Oh and on further inspection, there are a couple more that eclosed today so it's 227, for now.

And KC-you are right! LOL. Actually did stop bringing in Polys, just can't keep up with them, or should I say the pipevines can't keep up with them. We'd have a hundred of them by now.

That's a nice list. You are definitely doing your part to increase the butterfly population.

I was teasing you because of your caterpillar graphic. :)

That is quite a varied list. Are you raising cats in January or do you start later?

KC, yes I thought you might be talking about the wandering caterpillar!
Let's see, the release breakdown by month is
Jan 31
Feb 9
Mar 20
Apr 92
May 63
Jun 12

Those are fantastic numbers!

The butterflies thank you!

Sherry

225 ?!?!
Great Googly-Moogly!
OMG...I'm still working on #1!
I feel like such a NOOB! LOL!
Great job

Mark

Actually now it's 232.
Thanks guys for the comments and the smiles!

I have yet to see the first Black Swallowtail here and only 1 Zebra Longwing. We are so dry here - the only multiples we are seeing are a few Giants, Spicebush, Frits, Sulphurs. I am seeing a large number of Polys - will probably have to start removing eggs or my huge vine will be gone by the end of the month.

Mary, it is new to me to have this many BST already, the past couple of years i've not seen any eggs/cats till July, maybe later June. We've had bunches already now. Reallllllyy hoping for rainy season to start though!!!

Also, do you prune your pipevine in the off season? I have neighbors with a large pipevine covering a big section of fence, but this year and last it is not putting out much new growth, has mostly old, tough foliage. I am wondering if we cut it all the way down when butterfly season is over, if it will grow more healthy next year. But since it is not mine I am afraid to recommend it to them, in case it goes wrong!

I haven't raised as many as you have, but I've raised a good variety of caterpillars -

1. American ladies
2. Red admirals
3. Question marks
4. Viceroys
5. Variegated fritillaries
6. Gulf fritillaries
7. Spicebush swallowtails
8. Palamedes swallowtails
9. Black swallowtails

10. Pipevine swallowtails
11. Giant swallowtails
12. Cloudless sulphurs
13. Sleepy oranges
14. Little yellows
15. Red-spotted purples

I haven't raised any big moths this year. I haven't raised any monarchs, either, but then I usually don't get them until late summer or fall. No tiger swallowtails yet, but I usually find a few to raise each year. I'm letting a good bit of Sida grow, to hopefully raise some common checkered skippers, which I've done in the past. I've also raised silver-spotted skippers and long-tailed skippers.
And I'd love to raise some pearl crescents or hairstreaks of any kind, but I've never found the caterpillars.
I might make it to 20 varieties before the year's up, but 15 isn't too bad for early June!

Sherry

Congrats on your releases! My goodness, I'd settle for a couple of Cabbage Whites right now.

MissSherry, do you have any Hibiscus coccinea? That's what the Gray Hairsteaks like here, and they are soooo easy to find because they only eat the flowers. If you find a bud with a hole in it, it's most likely a GH. Once the bud opens up, you can easily find the slug-like caterpillar.

Susan

That great you`ve reared so many butterflies.I have pvs and they are a very adaptable species just like there cousins the polys.My a.durior grew out of control and was bout to consume half my yard then my landlord cut it down to the ground.Its growing back with a vengence,like a couple inches every week.I thought i wouldnt have pvs this year but i discovered 20 little ones the other day.They grow really fast,i think imma take a few in just the keep the numbers up.They are defenetly not an endangered or rare species.Just plant aristolochia and they will come.I plan on planting more aristolochia in a more suitable place other than the side of the house.I`ve noticed alot of promethia and tulip tree moths the last few nights.Anyone else?

Well I have zone envy. I haven't released anything yet this year. It's too early here in Missouri. I have four Black Swallowtails and Two Eastern Tiger Swallowtails that should emerge any day now and several more that are still in larval stage. And I found one itty bitty Spicebush Swallowtail cat in a folded leaf yesterday and brought it inside. I won't catch up with you.
I'm jealous of your Zebra Longwings. Wish we had those here.

No, I don't have any H. coccinea, Susan, but it sounds like something I could find a place for. I'll have to look it up, but I think that's a native hibiscus? Pineland hibiscus grows on my property, but I've never found a caterpillar of any variety on it.

Sherry

@Christie, we are way excited about the zebras, as we rarely see them, and they are our state butterfly after all! And released four more zebras today, making our total (overall) 240.

@Sherry - love the diverse list, wish we had such variety. Not complaining though.

Yes, MissSherry, it is a native to your state. As I mentioned, they only eat the flowers. I don't find that detail reported in much of the info out there. The larva are very tiny, and the chrysalis is about the size of a Navy bean. So cute!

Mine gets about 6' tall maximum, but may get taller in your area. Very easy to grow, and while they perform best with a moist soil, they will also do well, once established, in a drier situation. I love the foliage and the flowers!

There is also a white flowering version 'alba'.

Susan

Here is a link that might be useful: Hibiscus coccineus

I have never pruned it. Prior to the last two summers, the new growth always came in abundance, enough to feed all the Polys with no worry. The last two winters, I have had it die back so that all I had was new growth and even though lush and grew fast, it was eaten back by mid summer. Last summer, I had to pull cats off by the dozens and take them to friends who had vine, mostly in the shade, where the Polys hadn't laid eggs. This winter dieback wasn't as bad and I have lots of vine but by the numbers I have been seeing this week, I fear I will be in the same situation if I don't pull off the eggs, at least off and on all summer.

As far as cutting it back, I would try feeding it heavily first - with a granular fertilizer. With it being so dry, the liquid stuff is getting washed out so quickly with the watering that is needed. Mine really flushed out about a month ago when I did that.

Mary

Went over 400 this week. We had hoped to make 400 by year end. Now we have our sights set on 500. With the help of all the sulphurs we may make it!
top 3:
Monarch 89
Orange barred sulphur 66
Gulf frit 60

Congrats! I released 1 Spicebush swallowtail, about 10 Black swallowtails, and well over 100 Monarchs, but to be honest, I've been too busy to tally the exact number!

Got 10 swallowtails overwintering.

Ah yes it does take time! My son (7 years old) keeps the list, and we put them in excel, and he was sooo excited as the number inched toward 400 and then went over! Makes me really glad we kept the list.