How about spiders that enjoy butterfly's in Salvias?

[IMG]http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff170/scoutsdad/spidersalviabutterfly.jpg[/IMG]

Thank you desertsage .Any other Salvia species that maybe a larval food source for butterflies? I am sure were there are butterfies there are other insects too.
Art

By larval food sources, I assume you mean those that have their leaves eaten. I've observed chewed-up foliage mostly in the greenhouse, especially during odd outbreaks in the spring. Once outside, Salvias planted outside seem generally immune to having their foliage eaten.

I don't believe there is any butterfly in the US that uses Salvia as a larval host.

There are generalist moths, though, including the geometrid moths that continue to eat my S. 'Black and Blue'. I cannot fight it because I do not use any chemical or organic pesticides that may affect my ecosystem in the butterfly garden. There are also a couple of sphinx moths that use Salvia as one of their hosts. These are large caterpillars with a "horn" until the 5th instar, when the horn is shed for this final instar of growth.

Salvias are frequented by many butterflies as nectar sources, too.

Susan

Rich :
These plants are outside My Salvia coccinea and S.lyrata are both being chewed on by a caterpillar.
Susanlynne yes that
thought was one that crossed my mind that the Moths may
be doing this. I will wait and see what happens after they pupate. I did see a Queen and a Sulfur fluttering by this morning.I also have seen a giant leopard Moth Caterpillar. The Asclepias is blooming along w/my Salvias
Art

The only things eating my salvia foliage are slugs and snails.... GRRR. I clearly don't have enough slug eating sharp-tailed snakes (well, they are always asleep when I see them!), so it's time to put out the dishes of beer. Death by booze.

Art, are those the little green oakleaf rollers that drop of the oak trees this time of year? They grow up and make that small moth. I think they are not picky about what they eat. They look like green inchworms.

I believe Susan is right - but if any Salvias WERE larval hosts, I would try native species first. Butterflies seem attracted to any of the small-tubed Salvias for nectar...

jonopp:
The S.lyrata is a native in our area. So is S.farinacea,roemeriana,engelmannii,ballotaeflora,
coccinea and texana.But the only one that is being
touched is lyrata.
Art