Sherry...I am amazed that you are still seeing so many GFs! I saw one the other day but no cats on my vines.

Also, check out my trade list...I have quite a few natives I have collected from our area that I can send you for your meadow. I am going to leave about a 1/4 acre area for a meadow this year...I collected seeds just for that! What do you do to your meadow to get it ready for seeds once your husband mows it?

I broke down & brought in all the monarch cats I had on the last of my milkweeds before our first freeze & have been covering the last of my tropical MWs to be able to get them to pupation...finally they made it! I currently have 29...I just hope they eclose while we are still having warmer temps!
I also brought in all the PVST cats I saw before the freeze & now I have 20 that I'm hoping will hurry up & pupate also...I'm also running out of A.fimbriata & they don't seem to like the tough leaves of my 2 A.tormentosas but if I run out of A.fimbriata before they all pupate...they will have to eat what I have. I covered my plants to protect them from the frosts we have had. I saw 2 more smaller cats outside today but decided they will have to fend for themselves...it is a 2X/day task to keep up with feeding the 15 that haven't pupated yet!
I'm not looking forward to the cold weather & lack of BFs! I am trying to plant lots more host plants & seeds for the spring before I start decorating for Christmas after Thanksgiving next week! Where had this year gone???!!!

I don't know where this year has gone! I was just getting used to it being 2011, and 2012 will soon be here!

It's good to hear that you're still raising pipevine swallowtail cats. My A. tomentosa vines made new growth about a ?month ago, and I was hoping I'd get eggs, but didn't. This year has been the biggest for gulf frits ever, it amazes me, too, that there are so many of them here. I also see lots of them roadside whenever I go somewhere, so it's not just in my immediate area.

I'll check out your list. I plan to wait until they're predicting rain followed by a freeze, and get my husband to mow before the rain and cold weather. We've had very little rain and no freeze as yet - I think we usually get our first in December? I'm waiting for a freeze to try and preserve as many Agalinis seeds on the plants as possible - they're still ripening. I'll scatter the bought seeds, and maybe work them into the soil slightly with a rake. The rain should help them settle in. Speaking of Agalinis, there is an area of vast Agalinis where I can go and get some more seeds to scatter. This area also has some REAL tall swamp sunflowers that I'd like to gather more seeds from - I already got some of these swamp sunflower seeds, but I'm not positive the seeds were totally ripe.

I'm looking for a butterfly break myself. We'll be heading out for Augusta, GA this Monday, for a Thanksgiving gathering at my sister's house. It's been so long since I've been any further than Hattiesburg or the Coast, I can't wait!

Sherry

Nice to see green leaves, flowers, and butterflies. We are well into fall here in Madison-I finished raking up the maple tree leaves last weekend. The lawn is still green, though. No butterflies around, but we do have migrating birds in the area.

Yes, Eric, I saw some golden and ruby crowned kinglets mixed in with a flock of warblers - mostly yellow-rumped warblers - in some American beautyberry and yaupon bushes the other day. My woods are full of bushes and trees with fruit and seeds for birds, so I get big numbers of birds during migration, mostly in spring migration. Those brightly colored kinglet crowns really shone in the sun that day! I don't recall ever seeing them in fall migration, just spring, I think, but I may have forgotten seeing them before.

Imabirdnut, I looked through your lists. The Verbesina virginica looks really interesting. I ordered four packs of Indian paintbrush/Castilleja coccinea seeds, more than I really need, so I could send you a pack of them in exchange for some Verbesina seeds, if you'd like to try the Castilleja - it's a host plant for buckeyes, and the flowers (or brackets) are beautiful.
I noticed that you wanted some false nettle seeds. I'll check my false nettles and see if they still have any seeds on them, but I don't think there will be. At the right time of year - August and September? - I have JILLIONS of them to offer, so I'll try to remember that you want some next year if I can't find any now.

Sherry

I would love to trade...is there any other wildflowers you would like to have? I would love any host plant seeds you are willing to share! This will be my 4th year butterfly gardening so I'm open for almost any seeds. I live in semi-rural area & have been making new butterfly beds this year as well as my natural areas...I'm looking to attract other species of butterflies to my yard.
One of the only things I still have blooming here is Verbesina encelioides--Golden Crownbeard. It was here before we built our home & the Bordered Patches love it as a host plant. I also have Frogfruit--Phyla(or Lippia) nodiflora...that is a host for Phaon Crescent as well as White Peacock(which I don't get) & Buckeye. I don't think I have it listed on my GW list because I don't have a lot of flower heads. It is also native on my property & is a great perennial ground cover as well. It is sold at some of the local nurseries.
Email me your info & I'll send you seeds!
Thanks, Lila

I am still seeing butterflies and caterpillars here in my NE Oklahoma garden. The caterpillars are a first in the garden. Normally, I don't have them this late. However, this year I've had lots and lots of Pipevine Swallowtail cats on the clematitis. There are some Black Swallowtail caterpillars on the parsley, and I have 5 tiny Viceroy cats. Yesterday, I sat and watched them make hibernacula. I got a couple of photos that I will post in the metamorphosis gallery on pbase. The butterflies that are still flying include the Painted Lady, Buckeye, Gray Hairstreak, Sachem, and a lone Variegated Fritillary, yesterday. I see an occasional Dainty Sulphur, Cloudless Sulphur, or Orange Sulphur. The only nectar left in the garden is Gallardia and gaura.

Lila, I have lots and lots of False Nettle seeds. I've been collecting A curassavica seed to send you. I've also been putting together packages to send to Laos, but should get your seeds together soon. Oldest grandson turns 6 in a couple of weeks, and then there's Christmas. The little one turns 3 in January. It takes a while for mail to get there, so I have to plan early!

Another freeze is forecast for tonight.

Sandy

Sandy...that would be great...I don't think the A.clementitis are going to make it even though I planted them the day I received them.
Laos is too far away for grandbabies but I bet they will appreciate the gifts from you! I looking forward to the day!!! It will be awhile for me...my son & DIL aren't planning any soon(married just over a year) & our beautiful daughter isn't dating anyone...she's headed to grad school in January.
I am going to scatter a ton more A.fimbriata seeds for the PVSTs...I hope the 20 cats I have brought in will hurry up & pupate! I saw 2 more smaller cats outside this morning while gathering new food but will let them "fend for themselves". I am bringing in new leaves both morning & evenings to keep up with their voracious appetites!
It is going to frost here again tonight so I will be covering the tomatoes that are still green as well as any pipevine plants that are still green to preserve them for these cats! I am thinking once they pupate, I will put the box in the garage for the winter to keep it cool & dark & hopefully, they will wait until spring to eclose. I usually have BSTs that overwinter but don't this year.
I have seen so few sulphurs this year with our drought, I suspect! Only one or 2 TSTs --where last year I saw more than I ever have here! Hopefully, next year will be better! The good news in my yard is I'm on well water & have been able to keep most of my flowers alive through this terrible heat we had...100's for more days than ever before, I think I read!
Anyway, I appreciate y'all being willing to share seeds...I have lots of places for them! I have lots of host plants for Buckeyes but am wondering if they are only migratory here...never seen a single cat. I had a few Plantago lanceolata seeds I planted recently but have been hesitant because it might get invasive??? I have Snakeherb, Snapdragons, several kinds of Ruellias, Frogfruit & will be getting "Butter & Eggs" Toadflax from EBay shortly...just for buckeyes! I also ordered some gas plant(Dictamnus albus Purpureus) seeds as well. I won 2 auctions & spent a total of $2.75 for both. I hope they germinate for me!
Thanks again,
Lila

Lila,

Don't give up on the clematitis. It may still come up next spring. It takes a while to grow roots and come up. If it doesn't make it, I'll dig some up and send you some more next spring. It's really hard to grow from seed.

I grew Butter and Eggs and had lots of BE caterpillars on it. It does become invasive, but is easy to pull up and get rid of. I need to get some more seeds as I've got a good place here.

Maybe next spring we can meet in S Ok. I go down near Atoka to take photos of BFs. I can bring the clematitis plants to you.

Sandy

Lila, I went out to the biggest patch of false nettles, and checked out those "black thingies" on the plants. After pulling some off, I now realize that these are undoubtedly the ripened seeds - the cream colored thingies were undoubtedly the UNripe seeds. I never had to pay attention before, because they reseed themselves without any help from me.
I got you quite a lot of these seeds. My husband will buy a padded envelope for me to send you the false nettle and Indian paintbrush seeds tomorrow, so I'll send them out either tomorrow or Friday.
I'd like any Verbesina seeds you want to share, particularly the V. virginica. We don't get patches here - I sure wish we did! - but I love the looks of the flowers, and they should blend in with my other meadow plants.
We finally got a decent rain last night, nearly an inch, but the cold front isn't here yet, it's 82 degrees, and I've got the air-conditioning on! :/
I'll e-mail you my address.
Sherry

I made this picture today of a buckeye. 'Don't know if it's one I released or not -

{{gwi:552013}}

Sherry

"my husband will mow the "meadows" and I'll work my numerous types of seeds into the soil"

Hey misssherry, nice pics/ comments (as usual).
A good time for me to check in....I have collected liatris pycnostachya seed and squarrosa as well, seperate bags.
Also a couple of other things, but I need to look up the proper names...a late summer blooming purplish ageratum?

I'll get em in the mail next week.

'Sounds like mist flower/Conoclinium coelestinum, Ron - they used to call it Eupatorium something-or-other. It already grows here, but there's room for more. Do you want any false nettle seeds? False nettles prefer wet areas, but they can grow in normal garden areas as long as they don't dry completely out for long periods of time. They don't offer nectar for butterflies or hummers, but they're the main host for red admirals, and question marks use them, too. If you have a swampy area that you don't know what to do with.....
Sherry

I've been so busy, I haven't had time to turn around and look at whether there are any butterflies still here or not. I did happen to glimpse some species of Sulphur the other day, but wasn't close enough to ID for certain.

Lots of plants still blooming, including A. curassavica, Flame Acanthus, Cuphea, Cleome, Cosmos, Dianthus, Gomphrena, Butterfly Bush 'Bicolor', and Salvias. The Hairstreaks and Reakirt's Blues loved the Gomphrena, once the Mountain Mint stopped blooming. Gomphrena bloomed late summer and is still going. The Golden Crownbeard went crazy this year, and I now see why they consider it to be invasive. I'll be pulling up tons of babies next year! Sandy, I love, love, love my BB Bicolor! It has been one of the easiest BB's to grow as well as prettiest.

MissSherry, I imagine you saw so many GFs this year because they did not make it North due to the drought in Texas and Oklahoma. I had so much passion vine for them and will be trimming it back heavily next year.

False Nettle does like water, but if it gets part shade, which it prefers, watering needs will be lower than if planted in full sun. I also top dress mine each year with Chicken Manure because it does like a richer soil.

Susan

Not too much here. I've released all but one of the AL that emerged, just one chrysalis left. All else I've seen in the past week were whites, various sulfurs, one tattered VF and one that was some kind of checkerspot.
Other than butterflies...I'm excited to see a very unusually late hummingbird here yesterday and today!

NICE! We were just remarking how few GFs we've been seeing lately. Also been seeing more sick caterpillars (not GFs) lately so who knows what's up.

You've got a lot of blooming plants, Susan, especially if you've had freezes. In my garden, once we have a freeze, the flowers end.
Sounds like I've been luckier than I realized to have all these gulf frits!
Sherry

It has been a very warm November here and I have lots of butterflies. The most numerous are Monarchs, Zebra Longwings, Fritillaries and a couple types of skippers. I see some Polydamas, Sulphurs and Pipevines at times also.

I was surprised to see the Aristolochia clematitis mentioned above. I hadn't seen this plant described as a host plant for Pipevines before. When I looked it up the website said that they were located in the north-east, and only grew as far south as the Carolinas.

Is this the experience that you guys (and gals) have had?

Still have one Ruby-throated around also. I'm hoping for some Rufous.

Tom,

I grow clematitis in Oklahoma. I have several friends here that also grow it. We have found it to be a good host plant for the Pipevines. It needs shade in the south. I started with a few stems, and now have a large area where the plant has spread. The vines are only about 24 inches long. It takes several years to get a good colony.

Mine bloom prolifically twice a year and produce seed pods. However, it takes about two years for the seeds to germinate outside, and requires patience to start inside (takes two cold stratifications with a warm period in between). A friend broke off stems and I put them in the soil. The stems died back, but formed roots and returned the following spring.

HTH,

Sandy

So far, only 5 of the 20+ monarchs have eclosed! I am releasing 2 this morning once it warms up a bit...38 when I woke up! I hope they can find enough nectar to beef up before they head to Mexico. I saw a single monarch the other day nectaring on my Golden Crownbeard that only has a few blooming flowers after all the frosts we've already had.
Miss Sherry, I received your "sweet" package the other day & won't be needing any more False Nettle seeds! Thank you for sending them to me! I mailed out your package yesterday! I sent a few seeds I don't have listed & if you can't use them...pass them on! Thank you again for the seeds & for the wonderful expertise you share here!
Hope you have a Blessed Thanksgiving!
Lila

I'll be looking for your package when I get home, Lila. I'm typing this at my sister's house in Augusta, GA where we've had a BIG (eating) Thanksgiving.
Once you get some false nettles going, they'll reseed themselves if they're happy. As long as they don't dry completely out, they'll be happy.
And you'll have those cute red admiral and maybe question mark caterpillars.
Sherry

I will look forward to getting RA cats! I actually saw my first adult since this spring on my fruit feeder the other day.
I have very little nectar plants but released 3 more Monarchs today!
I am planning to scatter seeds tomorrow...another frost tomorrow night here!

Just had our second mild freeze. Sulfurs and a VF out today. I saw a Queen last week. Hummingbirds are here 11 days later, using my feeder. Quite unusual!

That is interesting, Linda, that you've had hummingbirds this late! I haven't seen any since mid-October, normal for this area.
We're supposed to have our first freeze either tonight or tomorrow night, can't remember which, but this cold front was for real alright - it's cold outside now! I haven't seen any butterflies, but then I haven't been outside much.
I got your seeds Lila - thanks!
And thanks to Ron for the seeds you sent me!
Sherry

You're welcome.
Did/ do you have any interest in the Trichostema dichotomum ?

Yes, Ron, I love blue curls. They grow around here already, but they're not very common, so I'm glad to get the seeds. I love the delicate intricacy of the flowers, and blue is my favorite flower color.

On our last night before returning home from Georgia, we stayed in a hotel in Thomasville, GA. There were some plants that looked like they'd be butterfly favorites growing in a wet area close to our room, alongside cypress and willow trees, and the fact that they were blooming in late November impressed me. I suspected right away that they were Bidens alba, a plant that is supposed to be invasive, so I'd nixed planting it here before. But seeing that it mainly thrives in sandy soil, I'm thinking it might be limited by the heaviness of my soil. I took two cuttings, but them in a styrofoam coffee cup with a top to keep the water from spilling, brought them home, and put them in rooting containers. The cuttings have remained erect since I cut them, so maybe they'll root, even though my house isn't really warm enough to promote root formation. I'm thinking that this plant may be vigorous enough to root anyway.
I took this picture of the flowers -
{{gwi:552014}}
The flowers were just too cute for me to resist.
Sherry

Sherri, I hadn't seen any hummingbirds in almost a month when I started seeing a few again about a week ago and put my feeder back up! Never saw them this late before. Have heard that in Boerne TX (not very far away from us) some Rufous hummingbirds started to overwinter in recent years. Global Warming? Don't know!

Sherry how wonderful it must be to experience walking into your garden and a plethora of butterfly activity greets you. You write so beautifully about your meadows and the butterflies one can really get a visual. The photos are an added bonus.

My butterfly activity could best be described as lukewarm. A few gulf frits on the clementitis, preferring one plant over two others I have in the yard. A monarch occasionally, this lovely little skipper that I haven't identified, a few sulfurs and an occasional zebra longwing who I keep hoping will leave me eggs on the clementitis I have tucked away in a shady spot. I too am seeing a hummingbird at the firebush once in a while - always a thrill.

I've added more perennials to the garden this year in the hopes of luring more in. I would be elated to see the type of activity some of you describe.

Linda, rufous hummers are known to overwinter around New Orleans, so it's not so surprising that they've been seen near you. I used to leave my feeders out all winter hoping one would stay here, but never got lucky.
We must have finally had our first freeze last night. It was supposed to go down to 30 degrees or so, and when I got up this morning it was 39 degrees, so it might have happened. I thought I remembered that December was usually the month for the first freeze.
If we did have a freeze, several blooming plants in my garden will be affected, and I won't be seeing so many butterflies, Kathy. I'll sure miss them! Butterflies are MUCH more numerous in the country than in town in my part of the country, so I'll stay in the country! :)
Sherry

Sherry,

Sounds to me like you dodged the bullet last night. What time was your temp 39 degrees? We usually experience our coldest temps about seven in the morning, unless a warm front comes through during the night. But then, it's usually cold the evening before! We got down to 20 degrees night before last, so with the exception of the gaillardia, everything is gone. Haven't seen a butterfly in a week. Actually saw the last ones on Thanksgiving. Always makes me sad when they are gone.

Sandy

I should have mentioned that I slept late, Sandy, to about ?8:30, and it may have been 9:00 when I looked at the thermometer. The leaves on many of my garden plants are drooping and have that "boiled" look they get when you have the first freeze. So I think it did freeze, though maybe just at 32 degrees. The beach sunflowers are still blooming, and I even saw a gulf frit nectaring on them a few hours ago, which surprises me.
Winter is here.
Sherry