They Say If You're Going to Go Out, Do if in a Big Way!!

11 years ago

Found this nectaring on the Aster tartaricus 'Jindai' when I got home from my daughter's today. Had lost hope that I would ever see one in the city......

Susan

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Comments (18)

MissSherry
11 years ago
Woohoo!! I haven't seen a great purple hairstreak in several years. That's a beautiful picture, and congratulations, Susan!

Sherry
christie_sw_mo
11 years ago
I've never seen one but we do have them on the map for Missouri, so maybe someday I will.

The host is mistletoe. I've thought about planting some but I think it can become invasive.
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Unfortunately, this forum is one of the slowest/least active forums I visit on GW - which I find sad because I had really high hopes for a very active, involved forum when it first started. That's probably why you haven't gotten any answers. Anyway, in my neck of the woods, there don't seem to be too many of these organized efforts to volunteer for. We have a yearly clean-up of areas in my town every April, usually involving groups such as scouts or corporations which have put together a team. And we have a local adopt-a-garden program, where people and/or groups can volunteer to beautify corners or curbsides, etc. - just little touches here and there around the town. But other than that, there's not much going on. So now, lol, I'm sure you're going to ask why I don't get involved in organizing such things. Time. (I work 4 jobs in summer!) But I have been organizing enviromentally-oriented programs/talks at my local library, so I try to do my part in spreading the word. And yes, I think if an environmentally worthwhile volunteer opportunity came up, I do think I would volunteer, time and schedule permitting. :) Dee
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RE:robinwv - the thing is , he is ALWAYS gone. He works 5 day a week full time and 3 or more nights a week also, so sometimes it is days before we see each other besides in passing, or in bed asleep...so i am always alone at home with the baby going to all his medical appointments ( he is medically challenged ) and we rarely get to spend time together already. When he was always at home when we first got together, I was happy for him to go do stuff but he never would. That was pre-baby. Since baby and working full time + now, it's like some big puff of "I'm the man" jumped right into his chest and now he thinks he is the man and I am the "little wifey". 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Ok as far as the poison ivy ... I get rid of it every spring but as most of you know its a weed it comes back several times throughout the summer well I cut it back as far as I can but it comes back when it was green all summer she knew to stay away from it ... no clue if she is allergic or not none of the kids have ever had poison ivy ... so just in case they know what it is and should stay away from it. But in the fall poison ivy turns a beautiful red color ... deep dark red... but because I am not allergic to it I don't know if at the end of the season its just as contagious at the beginning not a horticulturist so no clue ... I recite the little ditties ... furry rope don't be a dope stay away, leaves of 3 be sure to flee .... but in the fall no clue how to keep them away... don't touch red or you'll be dead? no clue anyway... Now DSS yes they are the same thing as CPS in our state. 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susanlynne48
Original Author
11 years ago
I don't know about invasive, but it can damage its host trees. It is spread by birds that consume the seeds and spread them thru their feces throughout the trees. I have never found any in tree branches low enough for me to reach, and it wouldn't be prudent for me to get on a ladder at my age. Some say that Mistletoe only attacks a certain family or genus of trees, but I've seen it on lots of different trees, not just one family or genus.

I did come across an article by a fellow who did find and raise the larvae, ao it can be done.

The sheer beauty of these hairsteaks is phenomenal. It is an irridescent blue on the upper wings, which I could only catch a glance of as it flew from one flower to another. They are so much bigger than the Gray Hairsteak! They aren't easily disturbed by the butterfly papparazzi that's for sure. Once you see one, you'll know immediately what it is.

Susan
bob_71
11 years ago
Beautiful shot of an unusually pretty butterfly!

Bob
butterflymomok
11 years ago
Susan,

Great find! Love the photo. Hoping to be in OKC sometime this month. Will be in touch.

Sandy
imabirdnut
11 years ago
Great capture!!! Looks like you have a pretty female!
I saw one earlier this spring flitting around some of my mistletoe that I intentionally leave on my cedar elms but didn't have my camera with me! I was hoping she would leave me some eggs but I haven't seen one since.
Here is a picture I took of a male in 2009! He really liked my Garlic Chives!
Thanks for sharing!
Lila
MissSherry
11 years ago
Beautiful pictures everybody! Here's mine -

{{gwi:466562}}

Susan, I just LOVE those asters! I'll have to look into getting some to plant here.

Sherry
bananasinohio
11 years ago
I am soooo jealous. So you are saying the plastic mistletoe I hang up at Christmas won't work? Drat...

Beautiful pictures everyone. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
Elisabeth
susanlynne48
Original Author
11 years ago
Elisabeth, you're just too funny! That would be much easier than having to climb a tree!

Sandy, thanks, and I so look forward to seeing you. Ellen's Blue is still just blooming her head off.

Sherry, I could send you a start if you want one. I got it originally at Lazy S's way back when..... It is not native, but it sure attracts the flying critters! The flowers are gorgeous, but plan to plant something in front of it to cover it's nasty knees. The foliage would be pretty if it didn't get eaten by everything with mouthparts, plus it turns brown and ratty looking. I've had mine for about 10 years and you can see I haven't removed it because of its pitiful looks - too good of a nectar plant! It gets very tall - about 4', and it does spread around, altho not invasively IMHO.

Lila, I am sending her your way - hopefully she'll show up in your garden!

Bob, aw gee - your photos put mine to shame, but very nice of you say that.

Everyone's photos are fantastic, and thank you for the very nice compliments.

Susan
wifey2mikey
11 years ago
Here's a picture of one that visited my yard last summer. He/she came back several times over the course of a few weeks and then I never saw it again. It was about this time of year, so I'm hoping maybe I'll get a visitor soon.

~Laura
imabirdnut
11 years ago
Susan...
Do you ever get seeds for your aster?
The times I've seen GPHs has been in October so just maybe...I'll see your's heading south for the winter! (not sure where or how they overwinter!???)
I absolutely love the colors of these BFs! They are my favorite small butterfly...just wish we all had more of them!!!
susanlynne48
Original Author
11 years ago
It has never reseeded, so I assume not. It does spread around via underground runners, but not aggressively. I dug up a "rhizome" by accident one year, plopped it in a pot and it grew fine (until I forgot to water it and it died. The clump has gotten larger over the last 10 years, but I have Aster oblongifolius next to it, so not by much. It has sent one runner about 5' away from the original plant, so it can do that, again, not aggressively for me.

I wish I could order from Lazy S's again. They have very nice plants, but they have priced me out as a customer. The lady that owns it is so good at answering questions and giving info. Once I told her I was a butterfly gardener, she recommended that Aster as a nectar plant, and she was definitely right.

Susan
MissSherry
11 years ago
Thanks for the offer, Susan! Maybe later or in early spring I'll take you up on it. We're going to Virginia this Tuesday and be gone for about ?10 days, so now wouldn't be a good time to send it through the mail. It really is a pretty flower, though, and as long as they don't go CRAZY, I like vigorous plants.

I'll get back with you when we get back home.

Sherry
susanlynne48
Original Author
11 years ago
Have a great trip, MissSherry! Are you driving so you can see the fall foliage on I-81?

Susan
MissSherry
11 years ago
No, we're going a different route, Susan, but I'm sure the foliage would be gorgeous on that highway, since it runs through the mountains.

We'll be taking a more southerly route through Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina, missing the mountains, but there may be some pretty foliage there, too. I have an Ancestry.com account, and traced one line on my mother's side back fourteen generations (with proof for every generation) to Arthur Allen, who built a brick house in Surry County, VA near the James River in 1665 that's owned by Preservation Virginia. We'll be touring this house, also known as Bacon's Castle, because Bacon's army took it over during the rebellion. I made up a booklet for my family with each generation documented and interesting information also - it was fun to do, and everybody really appreciated it.
We'll also be going to Jamestowne, which is close to the Allen house. I especially want to see the artifacts from the original fort at Jamestowne at their museum. My Daddy had an ancestor who was one of the original settlers there, so it's also personal - I'll be compiling another booklet about this line. When we go through South Carolina, I'll be gathering more information and pictures about this line of my Daddy's and also information and pictures of an old house that belonged to an ancestor of my husband - I'm also researching and writing a booklet about this interesting line of his.

Butterflies and nature in general and genealogy and American history are my hobbies - they keep me busy and interested!

Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: Bacon's Castle/Allen's Brick House
susanlynne48
Original Author
11 years ago
Looks like that will be a fantastic stop along the road. Be sure to note what the replicated, restored garden contains in terms of plant material. I'd love to hear about it when you have time after returning home. Love the unique architecture of those triple towers!

Susan
MissSherry
11 years ago
Yes,indeed, I'll check out the garden, Susan! I'll also be checking for butterflies all along the way - wouldn't it get great if I saw one I've never seen before?

Sherry
MissSherry
11 years ago
I meant 'Wouldn't it BE great if I saw one I've never seen before?'
I'll take my field guide!

Sherry

They Say If You're Going to Go Out, Do if in a Big Way!!

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