MissSherry, I had been wondering if they could be planted in containers and left there indefinitely, but I see that you don't think it's a good idea probably. I know they would die back over the winter here if left outside and I guess come back in the spring. The reason I was thinking of letting mine in a container all summer is because I heard that they can become invasive and was concerned about that. I don't know if there is such a thing as that happening up here or not considering our temperatures in the winter. Even if I could keep it in a container all summer, there'd be the watering I'd have to do probably every day and also the lugging in of the big pot at the end of the season because I think it would probably need more room than a one-gallon container...I think. I can see why you'd want to let yours in the pot until it would get a little bigger. Someone had given me a start of P. incarnata late last summer, which I planted in a one-gallon pot and kept out in our cool laundry room all winter. It died back but now I see a few small sprouts and am still trying to decide whether or not to leave it in that container, plant it in a bigger one, or plant it outside in the ground. Cathy

Seems like the Monarchs are returning. I have about 20 cats and released 7 beautiful Monarch's Sunday. However I haven't found any more eggs yet. I think the cold, wind and rain the last few days have kept them away. Hopefully that is over now and we can see them on the increase. I'm ready. Hope

Think I have at least 6-8 now.Some small males and think a few females and one larger male that is a real showoff and kind of a bully.He buzzes louder then the rest and likes to buzz right in front of you with wings outspread and red throat showing.He spent most of today chasing after the others to get them away from the feeders right over my head while I was potting up some flowers.Guess I'll put another feeder out back.Tried to watch the video of the nest but only got sound and a black screen.

They also love to eat Rue, an old medicinal type herb, with lovely blue-green, lacy foliage. Precure Nursery sells it, as well as very nice Fennel and Dill plants. I know they don't spray the Dill and Fennel because they are considered food plants, but they may spray the Rue on occasion. If the Rue is sitting on the tables with the Fennel and Dill, it is relatively safe to say it has not been sprayed. If, however, it is located on a table some distance from the Dill and Fennel, it has been sprayed. I know one summer they had a problem with mealy bugs on the Rue, so they moved it to the Perennial plant section and sprayed them. Someone purchased the Rue plants unsuspectingly, and when the cats consumed the Rue, they died. That said, I highly recommend Precure because they sell a lot of butterfly host and nectar plants. I have purchased other host plants such as Blue Crown Passion Vine (for the Gulf Fritillarys), Pussytoes (Antennaria, for the American Ladies), Pearly Everlasting (American Ladies), and other things. Their herb plants are usually pretty good sized. I have to go there today to get more Rue and Fennel, so I can let you know the status of their Rue if you would like. The thing I like about Rue is that it is also the food plant for the Giant Swallowtails, so you would have 2 different butterflies using them for larval food. The Black Swallowtail is Oklahoma's state butterfly, too! If you want to, you could hand-raise a couple of the caterpillars so your daughter can see the life cycle up close. Just use a plastic container, with airholes punched in the lid, small enough the larvae cannot get thru them. I put a paper towel in the bottom (change daily cuz caterpillars poop a lot), and add fresh Dill leaves in the morning and evening, removing whatever is left of the old. I use the plastic containers and cut out the inside portion of the top, put a paper towel over the container and put the lid back on (you will have just the rim of the lid left) or you can cover the entire container with a paper towel secured with a rubber band. When they reach the last instar of growth, they will began to wander around the container and empty their guts. If your container is tall enough, you can put some sticks or something wooden, stand them up or lean them against the sides, and they will pupate either on these or on the sides, top of container. When the cat has found a place to pupate, it will spin a "harness" and position itself securely against the stick or side of the container where it will remain motionless. Eventually, they shed their skin for the last time and in its place is a chrysalis, either brown or green. Inside its interior is turning to liquid and then reconstituting as a butterfly. In about 7-10 days, you will see the chrysalis begin to darken. Within a day or so, the butterfly will slide out of the chrysalis and hang to dry. The wings are all crumpled up and damp looking. Don't disturb it. The butterfly will begin to pump fluid into the wings, the wings will extend and dry. After a few hours, the butterfly will be ready to fly. This may sound difficult, but it is not at all. I have used containers like large, plastic pretzel containers from Sam's Club, mesh cages purchased from Educational Science online, butter/margarine containers, etc. I cover them with paper towels held in place with rubber bands. The most important things are keeping the containers clean, and providing fresh food daily, twice daily when they get big. You will notice them growing and eating more and more. Congrats on your big, beautiful caterpillars! Susan Here is a link that might be useful: Black Swallowtail Life Cycle