Cathy - you and me both. I have an aster and while it's a great nectar plant (for which I got it), I've yet to see a Pearl Crescent cat on it. I have a lot of PCs in the garden, and there could be some wild aster in my yard that I'm unaware of (I have a little mat growing one that doesn't pop up until late summer that the Dainty Sulphurs love to nectar on). I would imagine the native aster species would be the best ones to use as host plants. I also imagine the caterpillars are so small it is difficult to actually "find" them on the plant. I see evidence of something chewing on them, but have not found any cats. I imagine it's a geometrid cat of some kind. The leaves on mine are very robust and tough - wouldn't think that would make for a good dinner either. The only thing I dislike about the aster I have is that it blooms very late (as most asters do), but the flowers don't last very long on it. It is a beautiful plant in bloom, to say the least. How are you doing? Have you got everything planted yet? I haven't for sure. For one thing, it's been so darned wet here, I can't get anything in the ground! I saw that page the other day when I was looking for cats that resembled bird droppings, and you're right, it is pretty cool. They have really built up that site nicely since they started it a few years ago, haven't they? Susan

I think many birds will gladly eat them while they're smallish. Once they get large, it's probably only the more dedicated insectivores that will go for them. Like cardinals. Here's video of a cardinal eating a similar sized caterpillar that could be a hornworm. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktWIEnqKK34 (Warning: the video is a little gross, as the bird really mangles the caterpillar). I haven't personally seen cardinals in the act of eating a hornworm, but something must be doing so because I only find about 2 a year, but I see the moths in my yard. And cardinals do like to nest in my neighbor's hawthorn bush and use my garden as an insect larder.

You should try to take pictures, but a large, white raptor that hunts mammals is most likely to be a leucistic red-tailed hawk.

I would also experiement with the convection feature on some roast chickens, etc before the big day and not try something new when you are already a little stressed and there are a ton of people...... Yes, yes, yes. Plus make some cookies using convection, make some whatever you can think of....practice makes perfect. Mrs.M never bothered to "learn" the convection part and it subsequently doesn't work for her. The Dudes and I don't seem to have those issues, so you have to use it to know it. Its too long to post but if you want I'd be happy to email my method for turkey dinner. I wrote it out long ago for a friend who was doing her first turkey sans mother. Easy, good and breaks it up a bit so the Big Day sees a lot of stuff already done. my username at telus dot net for direct and I think I'm available through GW.