My GST is back and I think we have eggs!!!
kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
9 years ago
Hi!! I discovered this forum by accident a couple of months ago, when I had a giant swallowtail caterpillar. I want to thank everyone who sent me kind emails of encouragement as my catapillar formed a chrysalis and then just a couple of weeks later hatched. That was so exciting and a new experience for this gal in her mid 50s! It's the simple things in life, isn't it!
This afternoon I was getting ready to water the backyard and I saw two giant swallowtail's dancing around the orange tree. One seem to linger on a couple of leaves for a while. And then they flew off. I saw them hanging in a pine tree behind my yard, seemingly at rest.
Since I don't use chemicals in the backyard, I was going outback to clip off the leaves that were damaged by leaf miners. Something told me to check every set of leaves I was clipping off since I had seen the butterflies. Well I did, but I didn't find anything except damage from leaf miners!
I was cutting some of the pieces into smaller pieces to throw away, and something caught my eye. There on the top of a healthy leaf on the tree was a little tiny orange dot. I looked closer and found several more leaves with a little orange eggs. One of them isn't orange... It's kind of white.
Are my eyes fooling me!!!?? I think my GSTs returned and I now have a nursery! Any advice is welcome!! I am pretty excited! I'll look on the web for info, but I do appreciate first-hand accounts!
Thanks in advance,
Kristi
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kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
9 years ago
terrene
9 years agoRelated Discussions
Got my GST and gulf frit eggs from Shady Oak Butterfly Farm today
Comments (46)Hi!! new to posting here, but I am sharing your frustration over GSTs. I just ordered 3 more from Shady Oaks, and two bit it by the time I got up this morning. I thought maybe a tiny spider was getting the one itty bitty, but I couldnt see too well, but it may have been another cat I saw balled up over him. Thinking it was a spider, I swatted it away. So I have one lone cat left, just like last time. The last one got really big, and I guess he finally wandered off to pupate. But he sure didnt move much. So I will watch the one ittbitty. I did get some really huge PVSTs. I have never seen one! I really hope they pupate alright. And after being so sad over not getting any BSTs on my very lush fennel, I ordered some along with this order, and presto! new hatched cats! Oh and GF when just hatched look like short little yellow strings. Then they get red. I watch them munching out my kitchen window.The funny thing also is my mom thought I was insane when I started getting into this, so that my then 5 yo son could see the lifecycle, after awhile, and taking her to Shady oaks for the tour, she absolutley loves it too now. This is addictive. They're like my little babies!!--Traci...See MoreGST Eggs...help with finding host plants!!!
Comments (3)Tamgirl99, glad you found a source for your citrus. Did you ask them if they used pesticides at all? Hopefully, since you found cats and eggs on the nursery stock, they do not. Have fun! I have found Rue to be easy to grow and difficult to grow. Make sense? They are what I consider to be short-lived perennials, about 5-6 years. The first plants I bought many years ago just literally took off and did great. About 5 years later, they got extremely woody and eventually died off. My second attempt with Rue fell short - they just sulked and died out that same year. My third attempt one plant did okay and rest died. About 3 years ago I restocked again and these plants are doing fine so far. I planted them in the ground cuz they didn't do well potted. I grow mine in partial shade since they really don't like the heat in full sun in my zone so they probably wouldn't like it in Texas either. I virtually do nothing to them. They sailed thru the drought we had earlier this summer without any supplemental watering, so I think that "benign neglect" is the way to go. BTW, my favorite nursery is North Dallas - North Haven. Love it!! Susan...See MoreI think we have a dog...
Comments (45)Just to echo Peppi and David, training with small (or any) treats is very effective, since dogs will DO almost anything for them, once they get the ''message'' of what you want from them. (Especially if it's something they really love.) Training will be easier and go faster if you make your dog do something for every treat. It also reinforces the idea that you're the pack leader, since you control the treats. It's always a good idea to have your dog sit, stay, lie down, go in the crate, come, watch, wait. It's your best tool for whatever you're trying to teach/reinforce before you give them anything, whether it's food, praise or play. It teaches them to watch you, if you have them wait for their reward. I did this every time with my dog, even after she was mature. If I didn't, she thought she could go her own way, and didn't choose to listen anymore. It's better for everyone to get into the habit early on, for their own safety (and yours!) and rewarding for both of you. It's lovely to have a well-behaved dog to take places, and live with. Just to figure out what food reward will make him respond best, put several (small) different treats in a line, give him a command, then release him to go get his treat. The first one will be the one he likes most, and you'll know the best effective training tool for the most difficult commands. Save those for the ones he's having the most trouble with and you'll have the advantage. I also taught sign language with every command (hand gestures). It was lovely to be able to communicate silently with my dog without having to issue a voice command, except for initially saying their name to get their attention. It's actually pretty easy to train a dog. That book you have checked out at the library will tell you everything you need to know, and you'll both get the hang of it quickly. Try one new thing every few days, once you feel he's learned the last thing you taught him. It's fun!...See MoreBy golly, I think we have a winner!
Comments (40)You guys make me laugh! I've missed a lot while I've been gone today. :o) OK, here's the latest, and I hope - greatest. - Freezer in pantry. Still plenty 'o room in there. I'm really liking the idea of having it there now that I have an alternative for ice. It makes sense. Oh, and remember that our spare, very large, only 5-year-old current fridge will go in store room in the basement near the spare w/d set. We won't leave it plugged in all the time, but around the holidays, it will be nice to have. - Pocket door to close off laundry area, straight shot into room with freezer relocated - Longer cooktop wall (my piece de resistance!) - ice maker and small bar sink at end of snack center - second dishwasher, if I can convince hubby. We run ours after lunch and dinner and have gotten quite accustomed to that. I almost never empty it because that's a chore that rotates through the kids. There's 42-56 inches around the island, with the 42 being the distance from the sink wall to the island. I can monkey around with moving it a tad toward the cooktop. I think it would be nice to have it a tiny bit closer, and I actually think that if there's less space there, the kids will be less apt to traipse through there all the time. Really, that circle through the laundry room and in front of the fridge is where I anticipate all the traffic will be. Water and snacks! So Rhome - since you homeschool, you may appreciate that my inner island cabinet might become home to special school-time only stuff for my littles. We've used the office for this purpose up until now, but I think they'll enjoy sitting there and playing, doing "art" projects at the island, having snacks, etc. What curriculum (if any) do you use, if you don't mind my asking? OK, any ideas for getting one more stool at the bar? I'm going with small, backless ones that can slide underneath the 12" when not in use, and I'd *really* like to be able to get a 4th on in there. Is a 12" overhang enough? And what the heck can I top that island with that isn't going to set me back thousands? My honed carrara quotes have been in the $4000 range. Can't be done, says my budget. :o( Butcher block? Stainless? Just stick with soapstone? Thanksgiving is going to be my breeziest one ever! I've got turkey duty, mashed potatoes/gravy, 2 pies, snacks, sweet potatoes (brown sugar pecan casserole and an Ethiopian version), and stuffing. Guests are bringing oodles of pies, rolls, and other side dishes, and my kids all love to help cook. This is the last time I get to cook a big meal for a while, so I'm looking forward to it! Christmas dinner will be whatever I can whip up with the microwave, crock pot and hot plate. ;o) OK, I'll leave this for y'all to go over with a fine-toothed comb. ;o) From Last Import...See Morekaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
9 years ago
Beth Willett
9 years agokaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
9 years agodocmom_gw
9 years agokaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
9 years agodocmom_gw
9 years agobeebeeann
9 years agowoollybear69
9 years ago
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