Imperial Moth saved from hungry bird!

Yesterday as I was in my car at the drive through window of the bank, I noticed a bird in the parking lot seemingly playing with something big and yellow. This caught my attention as I was waiting for my transaction. The bird would pick up the object in its mouth and try to fly away and then drop it on the pavement. This happened several times. Whatever the bird was trying to catch would flop around on the asphalt until the next assault by the bird. It finally picked it up again and flew away about 100 feet and again dropped it. By this time, I was finished at the bank and I drove over to where the bird was and got out of the car. The bird hopped away, but was still watchful. I discovered the yellow object was actually an Imperial Moth, which was still alive, but just barely. I put it in my car and drove it home. I thought if it didn't live, I would use it in my butterfly programs to show my audiences what one looked like. I was in a hurry, so I put it into a glassine envelope and then into a sealed container in the refrigerator. Tonight I took it out and placed it outside close to the house. I'll see in the morning if it's still there or if it flew away.

Busy butterfly season!

This has been the busiest butterfly season I've had. I have raised more butterflies and sold more butterflies than ever before. More people are becoming aware of butterfly releases and since there are so few people who are butterfly farmers, sometimes there are not enough butterflies to go around. An article appeared in today's Washington Post magazine about Social Butterflies: www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/01/AR2008070101828.html?nav=hcmodule
Check it out!

Black swallowtails are laying eggs!

Those black swallowtails have been laying eggs on my fennel. I've collected about 60 eggs lately and am raising them in covered containers. The fennel is about 3 feet high and I will cut about half of it to the ground soon. There is so much of it, it's about taken over a good part of the flower garden. As a perennial, it should come with a warning label ~ "Beware! Fennel spreads rapidly!" I don't mind since it does attract so many black swallowtails. Once emerged as adults, they are very striking when released from a container all at once. I'll try to dry some of the leaves when I cut it. I will collect the seeds in the fall, also. I use the seeds to season sauces, especially tomato sauces.

Florida Keys butterflies

The same trip to the Florida Keys allowed me to see butterflies I never see flying in the wild in Virginia. In a state park, there were many Zebra Longwings, some Gulf Fritillaries and Julias. The park's butterfly garden also looked nothing like the one that I maintain in Virginia. It was mostly wild and untamed native plants, rather than tended flower beds. The flowers were rather inconsequential, but the butterflies were nectaring on them. It just goes to show that a person cannot think all butterfly attractants are the same everywhere. The tropical flowers were all very lush and fragrant in people's yards, but I never saw a butterfly fluttering around them.

On a recent trip to the Florida Keys, we flew into Ft. Lauderdale. Walking through the airport, the floor had a mosaic pattern which included many mosiac Zebra Longwings, the Florida state butterfly. This immediately caught my eye! The Zebras are beautiful, slow flyers, native to the southern states. When released, they have a graceful flight. They also live longer than most other butterflies. They nectar mostly on the pollen of flowers. The females lay their eggs on the tips of Passionvine. If I lived further south, I'd raise as many of them as I could.

Broccoli to plant for the Cabbage Whites

Early spring in Central Virginia and I am seeing Sulphurs and Cabbage Whites almost every day. I bought some broccoli to plant in the garden to try to attract some Whites to raise this year. I may plant some cabbage also. This would be a new venture for me, but I've read it is easy to raise the Whites. And if there are some vegetables left, that would be good for the humans, too!
I now have seen two Tiger Swallowtails flying. This has been a cool and rainy spring, so I am hoping to see some Black Swallowtails soon.

Sighting a Tiger Swallowtail on March 22!

A Tiger Swallowtail on March 22! I was so surprised to see one flying today! Usually they appear in mid-April. The temps were close to 60 degrees today, with sunshine and some wind, but this one was flying close to 15 feet above the ground. There is a mature willow tree near where I saw it, so it could be an early emerger. Spring may finally be here in Central Virginia!