I just went out there to look for some then there was a tiger swallowtail nectaring at the Agapanthus beside them so I ran back in for the camera. I think I got some good shots. The past week or so our butterfly season down here has really been picking up. I have seen more tiger swallowtails than ever before in my gardens. They are usually flying up high. A couple days back I saw a dark or blue phase tiger female laying eggs on the tulip poplar up high in the tree. Yesterday I saw the most ever spicebush swallowtails on one tree. Actually, I've only seen one at a time before, but there was atleast a ten of them in my neighbors sassafras tree. It has been slow for me all year as far butterfly numbers and diversity until the past week or so, and now there is all sorts of stuff goin on. My pipevines have been mowed down all year though. Do lady bug larvae eat butterfly eggs? I saw one on the Mock bishop's weed and looked like he was licking something off the plant? Miss Sherry if I find some BST eggs or see some being laid I will collect them.

Mary, if it were me, I'd leave the branch outside until the cats are a little beyond the hatchling stage, maybe second instar, then bring them in. I don't have good luck bringing in eggs - it takes giant swallowtail eggs about a week to hatch, and by the time they've hatched, the leaf is old and drooping or drying up. There are people who always bring in eggs, and they're successful, too, so it's up to you. I keep a close eye on my eggs/early instar cats - if a stink bug or something is lurking, then I go ahead and bring them in then. Giant swallowtail cats are tasty to predators, wasps and stink bugs in particular. MissSherry

Thanks, Bernergrrl! It was so bittersweet releasing them especially my little miss "bad boy". I got to provide the instructional link for "downed chrysalis" you gave me to another forum poster who had a BST whose girdle broke and was hanging by his little tush attachment. "Pay It Forward" is a nice way to go through life. I've still got the last chrysalis (brown) hanging in enclosure and I sure hope he doesn't go into diapause and overwinter. I'll be worried all winter about him out in the garage but I read it's better not to bring them in the house because higher temps could lead them to eclose when you've got nowhere to release them since it's winter in the NE! You've been a doll just like your little one and I thank you. Mechelle, it seems like the gulf coast and CA have bumper crops of butterflies of so many varieties. My father keeps telling me the same thing MCronin reminded us of this week...we think there are less butterflies at this time because we forget most activity in some parts of US takes place toward Fall. I hope so because I haven't seen a single Monarch yet this year. For me, except for one male Eastern Swallowtail, the BSTs are the only ones I've seen so far this year not counting the dozens of Cabbage Whites nectaring like there's no tomorrow. Once I spot a butterfly I follow him/her around the yard just to watch. Love it. I used to travel to Texas a few times a year for business when I worked for a company that supplied industrial heat exchangers...don't ask...LOL. Annually attended Petro-Chem and Oil shows at AstroDome as booth vendor...what a pain. It was the 70s and a female in that world wasn't exactly run of the mill except standing on a rotating stage showing off some huge piece of equipment...and I don't have the "equipment" to stand on a rotating stage...LOL. I'll never forget my first time coming out the door of the plane onto the tarmac at the Houston airport and immediately being drenched in perspiration from the heat and humidity. Then you go inside an over airconditioned building and get chills. Once spent a "charming" day climbing all around machinery and hoses at bleach factory along ship channel. Not thinking before I went out there with sales rep I didn't wear (or have with me) older shoes so my heels were ruined by bleach leaking all over the place...LOL. It was a rough and tumble business back them but I learned a lot about those industries and there's not much I'm not curious about and happy to learn more. Is it warm enough in your part of Texas for butterflies to eclose most/all year round? If not will your new BSTs go into diapause like they do up here in NE? I learned about 15 years ago from a person raised in Amarillo that it gets very cold and snows up in that part of the state. Well, you'll be a busy mama for a while with all those little ones. Think I'll go check the parsley again...ya never know...LOL. Thanks for your kind comments. This is a warm forum and it's so nice to find a place in this world where people are welcoming, encouraging, supportive and have sense of wonder & lots of humor. Guess if you care about these little guys who turn into beautiful creatures of nature and take the trouble to raise them then that caring carries over into other parts of life for many people. Makes me glad and appreciative. Butterflies take the naturally occurring "gloomy" out of a lot of pockets of people's lives. Trust me...if I find anymore cats there'll be more long missives of my experiences. I just got to find me at least ONE Monarch egg or cat! I already have all the rearing supplies and plenty of Milkweed. :)

Bettyfb, I had 3 green and 1 brown chrysalis. Thought the brown one might overwinter but he emerged just fine on Monday. I also had 2 pupate low on the sticks and 1 fell off. Once they come out of the chrysalis you'd be surprised how quickly they scramble up the stick to get to the mesh to fill out their wings with body fluid, then dry out a bit and finally get to fluttering and taking test flights! I had the luxury the day first 2 emerged to help the little downed one out of the chrysalis as he'd fallen a second time. I just gently held the chrysalis on its side since he was on his back and didn't want the wings to get damaged at emergence. Doesn't seem like you have the luxury of much time to sit there for an hour or more to watch for signs of eclosure movement! "He" turned out to be the only female of the four and she was just gorgeous. Sat on my hand for a couple minutes before flitting off to rest on a large Zinnia leaf to warm up and then flew off. What an experience. Someone snapped a few photos when they eclosed and the release. I cherish the one of the female in all her magnificently colored beauty sitting on my hand. Those little BST guys very rarely climbed off the fennel plants I had in pots until they'd eaten them down to nubs. When they climbed down the paper towels I had covering planters I'd just get them onto another frond and they go right back on plant. When plants were bare I had to change to the cut fennel stems and finally cut stems of parsley standing in covered containers to feed them. Kept the containers covered with stocking or fine mesh screen so they wouldn't fall in water. Next time will get small necked vases from Walmart to put loose food stems in as that seems easier. I've got one Monarch cat inside now but I still miss my little BSTs. Kept the used fennel plants in pots which are regrowing fronds and some still in garden so I might get lucky again this year for more BSTs. Your photo of that little BST guy shows the size mine were when I found them and brings back fond memories...and a little pang of missing them. It got unseasonably hot here for a while but I always covered top of their enclosure with breathable cover when direct sun could shine on them and covered top of enclosure with blue utility tarp to protect them from any rain. Didn't wrap covers all the way around since wanted to let them have some air flow. Since enclosure was on deck under first floor overhang they were pretty protected to start with. I know from having been in Houston years ago our "hot" and sunlight intensity isn't anything compared to yours, though! As long as they were sitting on a loaded fennel plant they were happy to just nibble and nibble down the fronds. They are so beautiful when they fly off to their new lives out in the world. It's just a beautiful thing all the way around. You've got your hands full with the kids and raising all these little guys! The children are lucky to have such a caring, sensitive soul watching over them. Mechelle, you reminded me that I have some florist foam in a closet left over from some silk flower arrangements I put together for various holidays a couple years back. I'm not very good at estimating what I need for these little "projects" so I always have leftovers...LOL. Think I'll start using them to secure wooden shish kabob skewers I got to use in enclosures. My little Monarch cat seems happier now that I've started skewering folded milkweed leaves to put in the container. It seems silly but he's not acting so skittish and seems calmer when he can meander under and over folded milkweed leaves stacked on the skewer instead of just lying on bottom paper towel. All I know is he's eating a LOT more now, is filling out nicely and is visibly longer but as he gets bigger having the skewer more stable stuck in the floral foam would make me feel better. Congrats on your Queen cats! Life just seems better in some way when I'm caring for these little guys looking forward to them reaching all their glorious butterfly promise.