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terrene_gw

Just when I thought I was out....

terrene
12 years ago

They pull me back in!! LOL

On Tuesday morning I released the last Monarch. Have 2 Black Swallowtails and 7 Spicebush swallowtails in chrysalises that are going to over-winter, but thought butterfly-rearing season was over.

Went out to the garden later Tuesday afternoon, to look at the Foxgloves, and noticed something was eating the top of one of the Rue plants. Look down, a 5th instar Black swallowtail cat! Brought him inside, and he pupated this morning. He will no doubt overwinter along with his friends, I assume.

So now I REALLY think butterfly rearing season is over. But no! I go out to the garden a little while ago, and notice the tattered Great Spangled Fritillary that has been nectaring on the Zinnias and Tithonia the past few days. It's nice to see a butterfly because it's pretty quiet now. Then she flys over to a wild garden, and goes down to a patch of violets. She starts crawling over the violets. I bend down to look closer and she's ovipositing!!

I found 3 eggs. They are kind of yellow-orange. I know next to nothing about their life cycle, although they must overwinter here somehow. Anybody have any advice on raising these?? What have I gotten myself into, lol.

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