Aggie, what are you going to feed your lunas? Just curious. I'd love to order some eggs, but am not sure about what the cats like to eat, other than the Sweet Gum.

Good to see you back. I've been gone since early last fall due to computer issues. I released 4 black swallowtails within the last couple of weeks.

Keep us posted please on your progress with the Lunas and Cecropias as well as the butterflies movement into your state.

Susan

Hi Susan!

I'm going to feed them black Walnut. I have a huge tree in the back yard so I'll take from there.

I just went for a walk in the woods and I saw five Mourning Cloaks-one Comma and something else I couldn't quite make out. They were sitting on a birch tree enjoying the sap. I got right up real close to them so I was able to see them, wow are they pretty..
There is a ton of Willow in the woods so I'll be checking to see if there are any eggs, would I love to raise them...

Well, that was my adventure today! I hope you all have a great day!!

Aggie

Good to hear from you, Aggie!
I've really enjoyed raising all my lunas, and I'm sure you will, too. I ordered quite a few cocoons of other types of silk moths from Bill, which I hope will wait and emerge after I'm through feeding the lunas. Lunas will eat eaves from a big variety of trees, and they eat a LOT of them, so you'll need to feed them whatever you have plenty of! 'Sounds like your big black walnut will fit that bill!
Sherry

Hi Aggie, I agree..It's been a long winter here in The Northeast. At least here it hasn't been particularly harsh, but it never seems to warm up much!

A few people in CT have been spotting some butterflies this week finally...a few CWs, Mourning Cloaks, a Compton Tortiseshell, and a few Azures.

I haven't seen a one yet.

But I have 52 BST chrysalises and about 20 Cecropias in my garage so I'll have an interesting spring.

Strangely enough, two years ago in early April we were having our first Monarchs show up here in CT.

Maraynn in CT

Wow Marayann do you have alot of BST! You will be very busy this year just releasing them...Did you find eggs of the Cecropias or did you purchase them and raise them?

Last year I didn't see any Monarchs until after the first of July...then I was up to my eyebrowns in them! I raised over 200 healthy Monarch last year...I hope to have even more this year. Good luck with your Cecropia, I would love to see a picture when they hatch..

Aggie

Wow, if they will eat black walnut, I have plenty of that! I may just have to order some from Bill.

I think I recall someone here in Oklahoma saying they also eat Elderberry, or maybe I'm thinking of prometheus. Also, moths are known to have a taste for many more hosts than butterflies....not as discriminating. But, I've got to get back in the swing of things - knowing my moths and host plants, etc. Seems like being away for almost a year has affected my memory!

Susan

Hi from another zone 5er! I saw something like a crescentspot last weekend when we had temps near 70 degrees!

I also have seedilings all over the place and ordered more milkweed seeds.

Butterfly season is almost here for us Northerners!

Yeah, it is! I saw another Morning Cloak earlier today along a trail near here. Speaking of them, what kind of willow do they use?
-Jmcat

Aggie, I found small cats on a plum tree that I bought at a nearby nursery. Turns out they were Cecropias. Oddly enough, one male and one female. The adults interbred(I know it's better to have unrelated adults interbreed...) and I ended up with a fertilized female who layed about 120 eggs. These I kept and raised. Last year I had one wild male join in the party so I hope I can get some genetic diversity going.

And, yes, Aggie, I do have a lot of BST and I'm thrilled. They are all due to one female who visited my garden in late Sept and layed eggs on my carrots. Every day I'd search my carrot patch and come up with more eggs and cats.

I can't wait for them to start eclosing but they'd better wait until there's more nectar plants blooming.

Maryann in CT

How marvelous, Maryann! Have you seen John lately? Just know he is excited about spring arrival, too.

Maybe I should go hang out at some of the tree/shrub nurseries here and see what happens - lol!

Susan