In Florida we have the tropical pipevine, which I was told was called "Dutchman's Pipevine" as well. Some of the flowers or pipes are small and are called the "Calico" the larger ones called "Pelican". Both I believe are A. Elegans or Durior. Anyway, here in the South Polydamas do great on it but it is too toxic for the Pipevine Swallowtails, even though they will lay on it. I have to move them over to my smaller Frimbrata plant. I never had any luck growing Virgina Snakeroot both time Loess sent me some. Instead in the same area I ended up with the horrible and invasive Skunkvine. Horrible smell and hard to get rid of. Its all rather confusing at times since all are known as Dutchman's Pipevines. I had a Tomentosa at one time but the cats ate it down and it never really came back. Would like to try it again sometime.

They sound like long-tailed skipper caterpillars - is the dark head separated from the body by what looks like a neck? Skipper caterpillars have a neck. For whatever weird reason, long-tailed skippers and sometimes silver-spotted skippers will lay eggs on pipevines. They've laid eggs on my pipevines, and one of my butterfly books describes it, so it's apparently fairly common. The cats can't survive on pipevines, however, so if you want to get skippers, you'll need to transfer them to a proper host plant, in this case, various members of the pea family. These skippers both cut and fold over leaves to make their nest. If your cats don't have a neck, they're undoubtedly some type of moth, maybe even sawfly larvae. A picture would help. Sherry

Marcia the plant you describe with the tail is Aristolochia grandiflora and not gigantea. The A. grandiflora produces a stunning bloom but it is one of the foulest smelling things I have. A. gigantea doesn't smell nearly as foul. A. grandiflora is my favorite even if it makes you gag. Truly the wild beautiful flowers are worse than the carrion (stapelia) flower. A. gigantea blooms are more brightly colored with veining then the pictured var. brasiliensis. Pure gigantea blooms are more rigid and formed not as sloppy/saggy. Curiously I have a plant that was labeled brasiliensis yet it produces true large gigantea blooms until about this time of summer when some of the very b-i-g rusty/brown brasiliensis blooms. The smaller blooming one common in cultivation is A. latiloris (elegans). Its a great plant but not as vigorous as A. gigantea and its more effected by the constant butterly attacks until well established. Another great Aristolochia that equals gigantea for vigor is A. ringens. A robust plant with big blooms that stick out like a pelican's beak. Extremely unique and quick growing. I grow some others that are interesting. The native (USA) ones are nice too, but the blooms are not showy however the native butterflies need them and love them. Here is a link that might be useful: check out aristolochia plants

Hi argus, I'll have to look up what I bought, but it was the usual Dutchman's pipevine that's sold here in the midwest. Thanks for the info. My problem is right now, I just don't have vertical space. Our house needs painted, so I don't want to do it against the house. Our fence around the yard is only 4' tall. And I'm always adding onto the chicken coop. I guess I'm going to have to think about buying a trellis in the spring......or grow it up a large tree. Thanks again.