here's the other shot.

Yes, indeed, Sandy, it's a red-spotted purple!

I've raised more of them this year than ever. If you want to raise them, they're REAL easy, especially if the egg is laid on wild black cherry. You about have to stick with whatever host plant the mother lays the egg on, because they stay on the original leaf for so long - they refuse to leave it. I'm going to hunt for more eggs/early instar cats today - I'm only raising 8 now, and I could take more.

Sherry

Thanks Sherry! That's good to know. Now that classes are over, I may go egg-hunting!

Sherry, you keep on talking about wild black cherry, by which I assume you mean Prunus serotina. Now, I don't have any of those, but I do have chokecherries and mazzard cherries, a European species. I also have an ornamental Japanese cherry. I saw some red spotted purples last fall in my yard. Do you know which of these species they might favor? The trees are pretty big but there are some suckers and side shoots I could check. I haven't seen any adults this summer in the garden yet, although I did see one at the park. Thanks!
Liz

I don't have any of the cherries you mention, Liz, so I don't know for sure, but I'll guess that chokecherry would be favored, assuming you've got native chokecherry.

I mention wild black cherry/Prunus serotina a lot, because it's a favored host plant for red-spotted purples, tiger swallowtails, plus MANY moths, including several of the big ones, like cecropia moths. It's probably the single best wildlife plant you can grow - in addition to hosting many leps, the flowers are used by bees and butterflies, and the cherries are relished by birds.

Sherry