Yvette, as I recall, I started butterfly gardening about ?2001 or thereabouts. I'd been interested in raising caterpillars ever since I saw some gulf fritillary cats on a passionvine in a container at a nature store. Before that, I was mainly a bird watcher. One of the things that made me want to buy our 5 1/2 wooded acres was all the butterflies I saw flying through the woods. I couldn't ID them, so I got a field guide and everything mushroomed from there. I've been adding host plants to the already existing host plants ever since I started raising caterpillars, and I converted my vegetable garden to a butterfly garden, with both nectar and host plants. I only have four tomato plants in it now. If tobacco hornworms should show up on them, I'd probably have to let them have the plants, much as I like home-grown tomatoes. And you're right, I nurse my caterpillars like I used to nurse my children. I love all nature, but the big attraction in raising caterpillars is that I get to DO something. When I clean out the cage of frass, it's like I'm changing their diapers. When I gather their food, I hose it off in the kitchen sink (like sterilizing the bottles) before I feed it to the babies. I have three dogs that I cater to also, so I guess I'm just a natural born Mom! :) Sherry

MissSherry says: "VFs use common violets when there're too many GFs eating the vines - ..." I'd like to add to that by saying that in our more northern zones, where the VFs are here BEFORE the passion vine comes up, the VFs will apparently then use the common blue violet in its stead. The VFs have never used my passiflora 'Incense' at all, but that could be because of the proliferation of Gulf Frits. Oh, yeah, I am GREEN with envy, too, Paul! I'd love to have those gorgeous spicebush cats. My new plants are leafing out nicely now, and seem much healthier than the ones I got last year were. But, I think it had to do with location, location, location. I never should have planted them where I did the first time. I doubt I'll have any for awhile until the shrubs are well established. I did notice that my persea borbonia is finally starting to grow, as is the magnolia virginiana. Took them awhile to get going. Susan

The spicebush cats have long since pupated, one chrysalis is brown and the other one green. I expect them to emerge pretty soon. I found one little bitty spicebush swallowtail caterpillar in its nest on the other side of the property today. There was another nest with nothing in it. I figured it got eaten by a spider or something, or maybe the nest was the first one this cat made? I don't really think so. I'll check back later in case the other cat was somewhere else on the plant and I missed it. Sherry

Hi, I have had some experience with painted lady butterflies. I order the caterpillars from a science company so my Kindergarten class can experience the life cyle of butterflies. It is not uncommon for the chrysalis to fall off from where it attaches itself. This past school year, we had at least 4 out of 20 that did not adhere properly. All four emerged just fine. I find most casualties occur at the late caterpillar stage (when they are beginning to form a chrysalis). Occasionally, when a butterfly emerges its wings are malformed and it does not do well. However, in all the years I have done this science activity with students, I have never seen a butterfly not emerge from a formed chrysalis. Most of the time the chrysalis will shake if it senses someone around/danger. I don't think that is always the case (never tested that). Also how far do you think the chrysalis fell from? In our class this year the butterflies emerged over a span of 7 days so no worries if it emerges on a different day than others. Good luck and hope you get your health butterfly soon. Carol