The last of the five red-spotted purples emerged this morning, and I just recently released her. This was another big one, so I'm pretty sure she was a female, but she didn't have any more than the usual number of red spots on her forewing, topside. Another spicebush swallowtail has emerged, but she's still in the cage, since she only recently emerged. The spicebush swallowtail count - Females - 3 Males - 2 I found two little spicebush cats. I couldn't imagine where they came from, but then I saw a VERY scraggly, old female spicebush swallowtail laying eggs on the sassafras in the garden. I don't know how this poor thing managed to fly, but she's leaving her legacy for when's she's gone. I brought the two little cats in to raise. I also found a late instar cat that I missed. It's just as big as the two remaining big cats - I sure hope it's not parasitized. Anyway, I brought it in, too. My first palamedes swallowtail of the year emerged this morning, and I just released her. She's BIG and has the red smudge on her inner hindwings, also the blue spots, so I'm pretty certain she's a female - Sherry

Thank you both! All the wild black cherry eating RSP cats have pupated, and they're emerging at the rate of about 2 a day. I brought the willow cats in, and finished raising them myself. One has pupated, two are in the "J" and one is still eating. Three of the willow cats pupated at a smaller size, so, either willow makes for smaller RSPs or some of these are viceroys. I'm hoping for some viceroys. The last one, the one that's still eating, appears to be as big as a cherry-raised RSP, so i seriously doubt it's a viceroy. By the way, I've been able to keep the willow fresh this time. I've been cutting down pretty far on the stem, which is good, but I imagine that the rainy, cooler weather has had the most to do with it. Sherry

Thank you all, my love of photography and butterflies sometimes gives me great opportunities :) This poor little one was in the wet grass last night so I picked it up and put it near a solar light for warmth so it is still with us this am.... hard to see such beauty fade away in such a short time .

'Found the first two red-spotted purple hatchlings yesterday, so I brought them in to raise - I'll be checking other eggs today. 'Also found the first American lady nests of the spring on some cudweed. I'd like to raise some of them also, so I'll undoubtedly be bringing some in to raise pretty soon. I've got two red admiral chrysalides, and another cat is in the 'J' - I'm looking forward to releasing these beauties! 'Found a few more little bitty spicebush swallowtail cats, brought them in, and now I'm up to seven. The biggest one has gotten to about the ?4th instar. In another thread, we were discussing pink-spotted hawkmoths, and it gave me the idea to plant morning glories along my road. I'll probably sow some of the seeds in pots and scatter some along the roadside - it would be so much easier if they'd just come up on their own! I also got some moonflower seeds, which I haven't planted in a few years. Morning glories and moonflowers are all beautiful, and the big moths are worth the trouble anyway! The luna cats are eating a lot and getting really big and fat, more fat than long in typical luna fashion. 'Won't be too long before the pipevine swallowtails should be emerging! I've got a sea of mock bishop's weed growing in my garden, plus rue and my wafer ash trees are growing nicely. 'Still no black or giant swallowtails, though. :( There's plenty of time for the rue and wafer ash to be used, but the mock bishop's weed doesn't fare too well in the heat of summer, so I wish they'd come on! :) My ears tell me the migrant spring birds are all here! I've been hearing great crested flycatchers, summer tanagers, orchard orioles, yellow-billed cuckoos, vireos, warblers, especially hooded warblers, chuck-will's-widows at night, and this morning I heard my first Mississippi kite of the season! Here's a picture I made last year of a Mississippi kite with the zoom lens of my camera - Sherry