Thanks, Angie! Rick, we've been having a much below normal butterfly year here, too. I haven't seen any variegated frits this year, either. I also haven't seen any palamedes swallowtails lately (which makes me wonder about ambrosia beetles and the red bay kill off) or black swallowtails or monarchs. I've seen at least two female tiger swallowtails recently, and they hanging around the woods with that "I'm laying eggs look" but I don't find many of their eggs/cats - most are laid too high up. I do have two spicebush swallowtail cats, plus two red-spotted purples, with five more eggs on the little cherry tree that I'll be getting soon. And I just released a cloudless sulphur (undoubtedly a female, many spots and red edge) that came from a pretty pink chrysalis, so butterflies aren't completely gone here, but they're scarcer than I can ever remember it. Between the rainy, cool spring and all the logging around here, things just aren't the same. There are plenty of checkered skippers and normal numbers of the various types of sulphurs, but they use 'weeds', not trees. I'm protecting those I find, though - it's more important than ever to keep from feeding those predators! Sherry

Aggie, I agree about the silver spots. I always know it's a GF on the wing because the spots just glimmer in the sunlight. One of the easiest to ID on the fly, IMHO. Congrats on your GFs! MissSherry, I'm gonna have to pay more attention to the GF cats. I haven't noticed any variation in the markings, but I haven't really looked for them either. The caerulea is completely defoliated so they're going to have to use the P. 'Incense' now, and they're still flying around, mating, laying eggs, etc. Just the 'Incense' has so many predators on it, I see few cats that grow beyond the 3rd instar. The ones that do make it to the later instars seem to be "safer" (or is it my imagination?) from predation than the little ones. Susan

That's so weird, MissSherry, I've lost 2 successive plantings of P. caerulea, but was able to maintain my P. 'Lavendar Lady' since approx. 1999. I have no idea why. Anyway, the two years I had the P. caerulea, the GFs ate it first, before they started on the 'Lavendar Lady'. Sylvia, if you are planting for "attractiveness", I think all of the Passion Vines have very pretty foliage, and even prettier flowers. For me, the foliage is bothered little by pests, so it remains fresh looking all the time. There are some Passifloras with prettier flowers, like the 'Lavendar Lady' I mentioned. Much prettier flowers than the incarnata, altho it has pretty flowers, too. It would be hardy in your zone 7b - I am in 7a. The only drawback to 'Lavendar Lady' is that it will not be a host for the Variegated Fritillary, just the Gulf Fritillary, while the P. incarnata hosts both as Sandy said. Lisa, I'm glad that some of your Passi's came back. The 'Lavendar Lady' did not show up until late July, when I had absolutely no hope it would return after the winter we had. That's why I went ahead and purchased the incarnata. I have had GFs in the yard, just very, very few egg layers. In fact, I have only managed to save ONE little caterpillar, and I don't know if it will make it. It is growing very, very slowly. I have had Monarchs out the gazoo, Lisa. I still have some Monarch cats if you want to come by tomorrow evening, I would be happy to share 3 or 4 with you so you can at least see them pupate. I've had my share. I can also give you some seeds of the Calatropis gigantea to grow next year, if you'd like. Gorgeous plant; Monarchs love it. Did I give you an Amorpha fruticosa and a Button Bush? I have those, too, if you want. A. fruticosa for the Sulphurs, and Button Bush for nectar, and possibly for Cecropias. Do you also have Wild Indigo? I have tons of little Wild Indigo Duskywings on mine right now, and they will be overwintering as cats to come out next spring with the new growth. Very fun to observe. It took no time at all for them to find my plant! They found it the same year I planted it. Kellybird - it's so strange how the butterflies prefer certain species in one region, and another elsewhere, isn't it? Sad day today - my little companion spider, Charlotte, the Argiope aurantis, spider, died. She left me 3 big egg sacs, though, and hopefully I will get to experience her progeny next year. Kenna will be sad, too, cuz we've been feeding her this summer, and Kenna is in love with her. We have a hard time dealing with our animal losses. We have already lost Lady George, a stray female adopted as an outdoor kitty cat, and then, Wild Kitty, another outdoor adopted kitty. One from unknown causes and the other by hit and run. They were the only females in the neighborhood. Lady George left behind 4 babies that we nurtured and sent off to forever homes. Sigh....life goes on. Susan

Gloria, I'm glad you are feeling better, thanks for the compliment, and thanks for letting me know I wouldn't get sent to the corner this month. I will have to stock up on chocolate just in case for future bribery. Marea, Oh I'm guilty, I saw what you typed, but wasn't for sure excactly what you wanted. I would have sent you the addresses that I have, but never received an e-mail from you. Do you still need them? I would also miss all the pictures you and others have been posting. Although I don't have alot of daylilies, You sure have helped me add to my want list! HOSTA, IRIS, and DAYLILIES OH MY! My son's favorite dessert is Cheesecake.........and yes, here is another one. Mint Chocolate Chip Cheesecake This is nice rich holiday desert, but the mint flavor adds a cool refreshing contrast to the creamy chocolate-studded filling 2 cups finely crushed chocolate wafers (about 38 cookies ½ cup butter ( must be butter, no substitutes) 2 - 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened 1 cup of sugar 1/3 cup green creme de menthe liqueur 3 eggs 3 8-oz cartons of sour cream 1 cup 6 oz. miniature semisweet chocolate pieces 1 oz semisweet chocolate 1 teaspoon shortening COMBINE crushed wafers and butter in a medium bowl; toss gently. Press mixture on bottom and 2 inches up sides of 9-inch springform pan. Set aside. FOR FILLING, beat cream cheese and sugar in large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, till combined. Beat in creme de menthe. Add eggs all at once, beating on low speed just till combined. Stir in sour cream till combined; stir in the 1 cup of minature semisweet chocolate pieces. POUR filling into crust-lined pan. Set the pan on a shallow baking pan on the oven rack. Bake at 375 for 50-55 minutes or till the center appears nearly set when shaken. REMOVE springform pan from baking pan. Cool cheesecake in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Use a small metal spatula to loosen crust from sides of pan. Cool 1 hour; cover and chill at least 4 hours. (Cheesecake may be made ahead and frozen, tightly wrapped, for up to 1 month) FOR TOPPING, melt the 1 oz of semisweet chocolate and shortening in a small saucepan over low heat. Drizzle chocolate atop chilled cheesecake then chill till set, slice and enjoy! I think all the recipes have been great and have been coping and pasting them to another folder then printing them off just in case. I just love copy/past feature! OH yes, and here is another of Shelby's favorite. Well all food is his favorite. He takes after me.....if something is edible I will like it. But have to control myself because I gain lbs.....so very easy. Doesn't take me long to put on extra pounds. Peppermint -Mocha Coffee 6 cups of brewed coffee 4 squares of Baker's Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate 1 1/2 cups of hot milk 1 tsp. peppermint extract 8 peppermint sticks POUR coffee into a large saucepan. Add chocolate; cook on low heat for 5 minutes. or until chocolate is melted, stirring occasionally. ADD milk and extract; stir until well blended. Garnish each serving with a peppermint stick. To make a peppermint-coated rim, moisten rim with wet paper towel then dip in crushed peppermint candies on a sheet of waxed paper. Let stand inverted until ready to fill with coffee. Life is Good,