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misssherryg

Variegated Fritillary Eggs!

MissSherry
10 years ago

Well, wouldn't you know it, I ordered gulf frit eggs and giant swallowtail cats from the Florida place, and, after finding yet more RSP eggs (maybe viceroy, too) and a tiger and another spicebush egg, she shows up. But then I knew that might happen when I ordered them - it's like if you need rain, just water your garden, then it'll rain! :)

She laid quite a few eggs on the violets in my garden, which is strange, because they usually use passionvines when there are no gulf frits on them. I haven't checked the P. incarnatas for eggs yet, but I will.

It was hard to get a picture of her, because she wouldn't stay still except when she was actually laying the eggs, and I didn't want to get too close then. So, this is as good as I could get -

{{gwi:487176}}

Sherry

Comments (10)

  • KC Clark - Zone 2012-6a OH
    10 years ago

    Better you than me. My daughter and I were looking over my passionvines a couple hours ago. My comment was we need WAY more leaves before the butterflies find us. Only my second year growing the vines.

  • butterflymomok
    10 years ago

    Now that she has found you, she'll be visiting you regularly! Congrats! It's either feast or famine, and it looks like feast time at your place.

    This post was edited by butterflymomok on Thu, Jun 27, 13 at 16:43

  • bandjzmom
    10 years ago

    WOWZA!!!! So awesome. Congrats! Now, you have inspired me to go and spend a lot of time with my wild violets in the yard. I have a lot of it out there, but I have never seen anything on it. Today, I found Sleepy Orange and Cloudless Sulphur cats on my Senna. Brought some in of course!

  • MissSherry
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I've transplanted a lot of wild violets from the shady parts of the yard, to underneath plants/vines in my garden, Angie. I also have a lot of them under my blueberry bushes - they don't hurt anything, and they host the VFs.

    I hope you're right, Sandy! I've always been especially fond of the variegated frits!

    KC, it's been my experience that pasionvines, at least P. incarnata, needs a lot of heat to get going. Yours should start growing rapidly now.

    Sherry

  • roper2008
    10 years ago

    I have lots of wild violet in my backyard. I find the fritillary
    cat very hard to find.. I do see the adults flying around. I
    see holes in the violets but I hardly ever find a cat. I've only
    found one a couple years ago. The wasps are always hunting
    though.

  • MissSherry
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I agree, roper2008 - VF cats are VERY hard to find! I've been looking for them ever since I saw the female laying eggs, but haven't seen one until today. As usual, the cat is half-grown before I find it. I took it in to raise, and I'll continue to look for more -

    {{gwi:487178}}

    Sherry

  • MissSherry
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I found another one, a good bit bigger than the one in the picture - YAY!!

    Sherry

  • bandjzmom
    10 years ago

    Love the shot Sherry! I did go and search my wild violets, and like roper, I see the leaves full of holes, but have never seen any cats. You are right about that Passionvine Sherry. It needs heat. My has absolutely exploded over the last 2 weeks.
    Angie

  • MissSherry
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I found the last, biggest VF cat running fast in the various violets and other low vegetation in a raised bed in my garden, the same one where I found the first one. There are so many violets planted in the beds, there could be others that have strayed far from where they hatched. It occurred to me that it's possible this one (or the other one, for that matter) might have hatched on the P. incarnata that are in the same bed, so I added a piece of young, tender passionvine to the leftovers container with the violets - the second cat is now eating the passionvine! You just never know, do you?

    Sherry

  • bernergrrl
    10 years ago

    Thanks for posting! So glad to see them use violets!

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