I'll add that it's a BABY caterpillar! Just wait until you see what they grow up to be, lol! Of course, the bigger they are allowed to become, the more they will eat. These caterpillars, though disguised exceedingly well as a big gooey bird dropping, are a favorite treat of predatory animals (including wasps). I've not noticed that birds ignore them while they are still caterpillars...I guess that disguise works too well. However, once they pupate, birds really go after the chrysalises. I agree with Malcolm. Remove these insects by hand. They don't sting. And look for single, round, pearl-like eggs deposited on the upper side of leaves. They can be removed, too. I grow seedling citrus in containers strictly for the pleasure of watching the life cycle of the Giant Swallowtails. The gorgeous adults are plentiful in a blooming annual and perennial garden where they will nectar upon a wide range of flowers. Here is a link that might be useful: Just click for some neat pictures

I'm actually going to buy a grafted pantin mamey(Picking season: July-August), a carrie mango, diamond river longan, and atemoya. I already have a kent, valencia pride, and a glenn mango, pace mamey(Picking season: March-April, two sugar apple/sweetsop seedlings, carrie mango seedling, pantin mamey seedling, manzano banana, blue java banana(blue java not yet rooting, so lets see if it makes it)and passion fruit(just beginning to root). Today I'll go to Lowes and buy a Brogdon or a Russell avocado, depending on what's still available. In the front yard, I'll have the seedling carrie, seedling mamey and the ornamental banana.

Good morning, Roselee. Your photos are great, and the fruit forming is impressive. They also make me sure my plant is not one like yours. It would be much more fun if it were a papaya. It would also be fun if it were a Brunswick Fig as suggested by MSS of Zanthan Gardens via Twitter. But a blog comment from Michael/http://www.wormspit.com/blog/ has just about convinced me it's just a Mulberry. He said these long, 5-lobed leaves can appear as a juvenile form on some mulberry trees but the trees make the more recognizable shapes of leaves at maturity. Michael added links to photos and to another GardenWeb forum with a similar looking plant (linked below). I said "just about convinced" because the shapes sure look right but the leaves in the linked photos don't seem to be as large. Could a foot of rain from Hermine have done that? There was a Duh Moment here when it hit me that Figs and Mulberries (along with Elms, Osage Oranges & Aztec Rubber Trees) are all in the same family of Moraceae. For me Mulberries were part of my past life in Illinois and Figs are part of life in Austin, Texas. Guess my shooter shovel & I will try to keep it that way if I can dig the mulberry out! Thanks again from Annie Here is a link that might be useful: Thread on Name That Plant Forum

I'm going to paint my bedroom and I was hoping to use EK paint. The room is not that big (maybe 11x13) and has one window (about 35"x72"h). The window faces north/west and since the backyard is covered with trees the light that comes through the window is diffused through the leaves so it looks greenish and the walls have a greenish cast. I put up some swatches of buttercream and luminaire but they have an odd green cast from the trees. I dislike the color green so I don't want to paint my room that color. I love trees, I just don't like green paint. The room will have a bed, a small dresser, and a Pottery Barn club chair in espresso brown leather. The floor is an old wood parquet in a light golden oak. We don't currently have a rug. We don't have bedding either. Normally I would just paint the room tan but the rest of my house is tan, so I'm a little tired of it. I was originally thinking that I'd paint the room a light color like lavender mist, but DH just informed me that our club chair has be moved to the bedroom. So now I'm stumped on a color for the walls. Part of me is thinking of a red shade, but I want the room to be calming since I may have a baby in there with me in another year or so. I am really stumped. Do you have any suggestions for a color? I'm open to other brands of paint, but I put up EK paint in my foyer and I just love the glowiness of it. EK is the only local full spectrum paint here.