I don't think Palamedes are up in my area, but they sure are GORGEOUS!

Hello Miss Sherry, I planted 4 persia borbonia about 4 years ago. They were small 2 ft spindly things. They grow so fast. I had to get on a tall ladder and chop the tops off this year- they did survive our mild winter (several freezes) even though the haircut. I am planning to keep these as a privacy hedge. The palamedes usually lays eggs just out of reach so I hope to be able to reach them when I again chop another 2ft off this fall. I hope to raise them next year. I am very lazy when it comes to raising cats. I prefer to have potted host plants that I can transfer them to and not worry about supplying leaves daily. I have a great many seedlings sprouting and growing underneath that I plan to dig up and pot. I have succeeded in potting up two without loss so I now plan to do more. I do have a question. I think that I read in one of your posts awhile back that the spicebush will lay eggs and leaf roll in the the red bay. Do the palamedes cats also leaf roll? I have difficulty telling the difference between the two cats. I always see the Palamedes laying eggs yet I have seen the spicebush butterfly only once in my yard. Thanks Louis

Louis, palamedes cats will curl a leaf upwards and "hide" in it, but they don't make the tight leaf rolls that spicebush swallowtails make. You must be in Florida, since that's the only place I know of that spicebush swallowtails use redbay - here they use sassafras and spicebush, for as long as I can keep it alive. Early instar palamedes swallowtail caterpillars never make the 'cut-and-laid-over' shelter that spicebush cats do.
It's good to hear from you, Louis! Palamedes swallowtails are very common here, so it's suprising that nobody else posts about them until you did. Don't you love their courtship dance?
Sherry