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Butterfly Garden

Eastern Black Swallowtail Visited Today

17 years ago

I have had a beautiful Eastern Balck Swallowtail flying around this afternoon. I looked very careful at it to make sure I could ID it. It was visiting the Queen Anne's Lace and the area where I have fennel planted. Keeping my fingers crossed that I will see some nice cats soon.

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Comments (11)

angie83
17 years ago
I saw one today it was really old looking it didnt stay long but it was still nice to see one first this year for me.
MissSherry
17 years ago
Sounds like you might get eggs, Dianne! Do you remember if it had a lot of yellow on its hindwings or a lot of blue? Females have the blue.
MissSherry
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Seeing this thread bumped up reminds me to look through my books to see if I can find out what it is. I've never seen this plant, either wild or in a nursery, so it'll take some research. I can usually get a good start in my research by asking what plant it looks most like, then looking up plants in that family - in this case, I can't really tell what that family might be - the phlox family? I'll get back with you. MissSherry
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I don't know the answer to either of your questions, bernergrrl. Obviously the chances are much greater that your cat will overwinter than any I'm raising now, but I've never overwintered any myself, so I don't really know when they do it here. This black female was one of two that I found on the same wild black cherry tree that I raised together, and the other chrysalid hasn't emerged yet. It may overwinter - sometimes, chrysalids overwinter from chrysalids formed much earlier in the year than you'd think. I'm raising 4 more cats right now, 2 late instars, 2 mid-instars - I'll keep you posted as to who overwinters and who emerges. I've never overwintered an American lady. What always happens is, ALs are one of the first if not the first caterpillars I find in the spring. Cudweed, their host plant, dies back in late May or early June, and I don't see any more until early the next spring. They must breed their way north in the spring/summer, then back south in the fall/early winter - I wish I had more information about this, but none of my books addresses it. MissSherry
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This year is the first year I had cats in a long time, and I think the last EBS I raised did the same thing and pupated through the winter. I have a bunch of host plants for them, but they haven't been around. I see them in the wild and they're always around thistles. I'm planting a couple native Apiaceae plants for them next year. These are the plants the caterpillars used before they brought non natives like dill, parsley, fennel, and rue to this continent. I do worry about my swallowtail cats staying safe. I've had a lot of predation with them in the past.
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mimidi
Original Author
17 years ago
Lots of blue. I really noticed that.
tdogmom
17 years ago
OOOOOh...one of my most FAVE butterflies!
mimidi
Original Author
17 years ago
I found the evidence of that visit last week today.
{{gwi:472028}}
{{gwi:472029}}I could not believe my eyes. I sure am a happy camper.
susanlynne48
17 years ago
Yippee, Mimi! Congrats on your BSTs! I am still waiting for them to appear on my Rue, or anything else I have growing in the garden for them.

Susan
MissSherry
17 years ago
Woo hoo!
That's great! We rarely ever get posts from people saying they've found a BST cat on their QAL - usually it's other host plants. It's good to see you've got one!
MissSherry
linda_centralokzn6
17 years ago
Congrats, Diane! Love it. I haven't been seeing the Blacks yet. Hope that they come before long.
mimidi
Original Author
17 years ago
Miss Sherry the picture is deceptive. The cats are on my Bronze fennel. I am keeping an eye out on the QAL too. If I see a cat there I will get a picture.

I have already been outside this morning checking on the babies.
MissSherry
17 years ago
Aha! I know they really love that fennel!
MissSherry
mimidi
Original Author
17 years ago
I watched a female BSW at a fennel plant today and I also saw a male and female swirlling up into the air together and playing tag. I never have my camera when I need it. Anyway these two sights brougt me so much joy.

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