Kellybird, usually the favorite host plant for giant swallowtails here is Ptelea trifoliata - the common names for this plant are hops tree or wafer ash, but it's not related to hops vines or ash trees, it's in the citrus family. This butterfly came from rue - I have five rue plants in my garden, and they're used by both giant and black swallowtails. Some of the caterpillars that I raised in the same group with the above butterfly came from my 'Louisiana Sweet' orange tree. I LOVE this tree! It comes through the winter with only minimal cold damage on just a little bit of the newest, new growth, and it's very vigorous - I've had it about 4? years, and it's about ?12' tall and about ? 7' wide. It's covered with little green oranges right now. The rue plants and the orange tree are both evergreen, and I found this batch of hatchling cats early in the season, before the Pteleas had leafed out, on new growth on the rues and the orange tree - these make new growth early each spring. Most of the Pteleas are real slow to get new growth in the spring, although a few behave differently from the rest and get new leaves fairly early - there's no rhyme or reason to it. I've had a 'Meyer Improved' lemon, and it was so puny and got so damaged by even minor frosts that I got rid of it. I only found one or two giant swallowtail cats on it the entire time I had it. I read an article about citrus trees, and it said that 'Louisiana Sweet' oranges and 'Owari' satsumas are the most cold hardy of the citrus trees, and that 'Louisiana Sweet' is very vigorous - I can attest to that! I'm really too far north to be growing citrus, but it's working out with this one. Sherry

So you've met him, Maryann! That's great - I'm sure he's quite a help! He says in his book that PCs are among the most common butterflies in Connecticut. I can't quite figure out what to do with my Carolina aster, Paul - I've never seen a plant like this! It doesn't climb like regular vines, but the limbs won't stand up on their own like a bush, so I tied them to my picket fence with twine - I need to go out this morning and tie some more branches that are laying on the ground. My hope is that once the branches grow taller than the fence, I can twine them through the top of the pickets, and then the branches won't just lay on the ground. MissSherry

Jeff, You have absolutely beautiful pictures as usual! I wish the butterflies would go to my Joe Pyeweed, but I've never seen any on it. Two other plants that I've found to be unpopular in my garden that people in other areas find to well liked by the butterflies are lantana and anise hyssop. I've taken out the lantana (it's only annual here anyway) and anise hyssop, but I've kept the JPW because I think it's an unusual and pretty plant. I wish I could find someone though to adopt the one I have in a big pot that's been sitting outside this summer. I was going to plant it but got out of the mood...bad year here for planting things, as it's been very hot and dry. I really haven't been liking the humidity either. Our highest temp this year was 105 degrees, which is almost unheard of for here in central PA. I hope it hasn't been bad for you there this year. Cathy

Wish Judy would pop in here since she's raised them before. Sandy, they are gorgeous chrysalis's. On what asters are you finding them laying eggs? I only have one and it's not a native (aster tartaricus 'Jindai'). I love it because it's a great nectar plant, with purplish blue flowers. This year it's about 4' tall. It's a very tall one with large, very substantial leaves on it, so I don't know if PC's would lay eggs on it for that reason. I'm pretty sure they would prefer an aster native to Oklahoma. But, the Jindai does attract nectaring butterflies. Last year, the Bordered Patches just loved it. Congrats on a great find! Susan