Yes, Elisabeth, they successfully overwinter as chrysalides here - I've overwintered many, and their percentage rate of success is real high, nearly 100%. In general, giants are one of the easiest butterflies for me to raise. I didn't have a late season crop of giant cats to raise last year, so I don't have but a few chrsyalides now - come spring, I sure hope a female or two show up and lay some eggs on my host plants! Speaking of giant swallowtail host plants, the big freeze we had about a ?month ago caused the leaves on my orange tree to turn brown, and they've since all fallen off onto the ground. It looks like the stems are still alive, so hopefully it'll make new growth once spring sets in - I'm keeping my fingers crossed! I bought a 'Brown's Select' satsuma to plant this spring. It's supposed to be one of the cold hardiest satsumas, which are all more cold tolerant than most any other edible type citrus. I've got JILLIONS of pipevine swallowtail chrysalides, so I should get a good start this spring with them. Sherry

I thought I'd give those of you interested an update on the life and times of Tony & Theresa. For about 10 days after I'd decided that the chicks had hatched, Tony & Theresa came together every day. Sometimes they spent quite a bit of time. Their food consumption never increased so I slowly came to realize that they had no babies at home after all. Then one morning Tony came alone. In the afternoon, Theresa came alone and so I knew that they were again setting on eggs. But, within just a few days, they were both back together - apparently they'd lost these eggs as well. Theresa again began to try to get Tony interested in a move back into her birdhouse here at home. Of course, that was the morning I had to pull the pile of garden stakes out from behind her house. So while she's trying to convince Tony that this is really a choice place to raise a family - I'm involved in a demolition project next door. I got the stakes in the pickup and skedaddled but not before upsetting Tony. I was told that he did come back and went into the birdhouse for a second look around but that was it for him. By the time I got back home, Theresa was still trying to lure him back but he wasn't coming closer than the power pole in the neighbor's yard. At the moment, Theresa has apparently given up again. Both birds are showing up a couple times each day and getting something to eat but the birdhouse (honestly, choice pigeon accommodations) is being ignored. I was driving down the main drag Saturday and passed a tavern that has been closed for a couple of years. (Who says these joints never go out of business?) The wood awning has lost quite a few shingles and a pigeon looking very much like Tony was hanging around on top. Now this saloon is a good 2 miles away but that's not far for them. The problem is that it looks to me like a horrible place for them to have a nest. If this is Tony's "Blue Heaven," they'll probably have continuing calamities. The real problem is that Tony is a young, inexperienced guy. Doves of all types have a cooperative arrangement between Mom and Dad for the care of the young and altho' Mom builds the nest; Dad gives her the construction materials and decides on the location. The other day, while Theresa was trying to get her new guy into her birdhouse, she would suddenly appear back at the door. Her behavior for all the world said, "Where is he! Where IS he!" and she'd shoot off into the sky only to have Tony join her within seconds flying off the power pole or some roof top. Theresa would slow and turn back to the birdhouse but Tony would drift off somewhere to wait for her. The good news is that Tony is becoming more and more comfortable with me. It is very slow going. Today, for the 1st time, he flew to the ground to get food and stayed down there long enuf to have his picture taken. Two weeks ago, he'd hide behind the chimney every time I came out of the house. So we may be getting there. I don't think that the taming of Tony will come any too soon for Theresa. She acts at times like a nervous wreck. DigitS'

HTown, don't be too comfortable with them. I've been feeding the ones in our yard off and on for awhile, but I never get too close to them. No matter how "familiar" you may be with them, they still have an instinctive distrust for people and they have the potential to be dangerous. Most people don't like them because they've had bad experiences with them, just like many other types of wildlife that invade or wreak some form of destruction on their property, and that's completely understandable. They can also be aggressive towards pets. I made a point of mentioning to my neighbors that there were raccoons active in our area. If you get to feeding them and slack off, they could move on to another property where they're not as welcome and that could have negative consequences for the neighbor, the raccoon or both. I'm not saying don't feed or enjoy them, but make sure you educate yourself on them before you get into it on a regular or semi-regular basis. Make sure there are no means for them to access your house including the roof and chimney, because once they know where the food is coming from they could try to find an easier way to get to it. It's best not to leave food for them near your house for this reason. One of the first things I did when I knew how much they came around was make sure they couldn't get on our roof from any trees, the area around our deck was sealed, and our chimney cap was secure. I added chicken(Actually smaller gapped fencing than chicken wire) wire around the opening to ensure there was no access.(Something I was going to do anyway to deter the birds that ended up in our living room.) This link I found can cover it a little more indepth. These are just tips, but they can be helpful. Feeding Tips I guess my message is it's fine to enjoy them, but make sure you know what you're getting yourself in for, as there are a few things to consider. :-)

There is probably some imaging software already on your computer, or you can download free stuff-I use Picasa 3, or use editing software from your digital camera CD which includes editing/cropping/sizing options