Wow! Can't wait to see the photos of your butterfly. Your documentation has been terrific!

Woo hoo! It may emerge today, if not today, then tomorrow!

Sherry

Thanks guys. Yes, I was thinking tomorrow for this first one Sherry. I will watch it closely today. I am thinking the chrysalis will clear more as the day goes on. I am so excited to see them! I've got some folks from the TN chapter of the NABA who are interested in coming to see the Zebras! Can't wait. :o)

How exciting!

This is off the zebra swallowtail subject, but I looked at my field guide, and northwest GA is in the range of the diana fritillary. Have you ever seen one of those, Angie?

Sherry

Gosh no Sherry, I sure haven't seen a Diana. I hadn't even realized that it was within my range. Wow. Something else to be excited to watch for. Thanks. I have plenty of wild Violets. Is that their only host?

Wow. Sherry, I just read this about the Dianas from Wiki:
"Dianas are unusual in that they do not lay their eggs directly on the host plant, instead scattering the eggs around the base of the plant. Upon hatching larva burrow into the ground over winter to emerge in spring. Adults feed on flower nectar and dung."

Yes, they have an unusual life cycle! I know that violets are their only host plant, but I'm not sure which ones they prefer - the field guides just list violets as host plants. Mary Ann at Pine Ridge Gardens sells Viola walteri, and says it's a host for them, but she may just have that type for sale. I have two types of violets that grow here, common violets and V. primulifolia, a white flowering type. Variegated fritillaries have never laid an egg on the white flowering violets, but they regularly use the common ones, with the heart-shaped leaves and purple flowers.

My books say that they live in the woods, but can be seen nectaring on flowers on woodland edges. Unless you live close to a woods, you might never see one, but then you might, too! I'd love to see a fritillary the size of a tiger swallowtail, especially a baby blue one!!

Sherry