Any access to any other Willow? Elm? Cottonwood? Those are all host plants that they utilize in my neck of the woods... :) They are GREAT fun to raise, Maryann, and you'd have so much fun doing so!

Oh, I'll raise them for sure, sherry...if they cooperate.

First thing in the morning I need to find suitable host material. Would weeping willow work? How about Pussy Willow?

I saw plenty of cottonwood on my trip to Nevada but I don't think we have it here.

How many days for them to hatch?

Maryann

I think they will eat almost anything in the salix genus, Maryann, so weeping willow, pussy willow, or black willow, anything of that nature will work.

Susan

Thanks Susan, I still haven't located an accesable weeping willow, strange because as a kid, I remember there being lots of them. And Pussy willows too, but I'll be darned if I can find one know.

I have plenty of birch. Would that work?

Maryann

Yep, and elms, too. MCs were my first intro to butterfly raising at the age of 7. :) They tolerated my youthful incompetence well enough.

Jeff

Yeah, duh, I forgot about Elm being a host. I haven't seen any MCs around here yet, and it's almost too late for them by now. I usually observe them around the yard in early spring and late fall.

Susan

Well, Jeff, if you raised them at the tender age of 7, you'd think I could pull this off...

My only concern is that I harmed the eggs by scraping them off the twig of the pussy willow.

When I was at HD today they had a variegated willow and I pilfered a few leaves just in case they hatch tommorrow.

I plan to return to that original nursery to look for cats. How long do they take to hatch? (Can you imagine that 120 dollar tree being decimated by the MC cats? That butterfly momma had expensive taste. She only wanted that particular tree.)

Maryann

Be careful...I've found that Home Depot uses some sort of systemic with their plants...

Yes Sherry, I weighed the possibility...I'll only use those leaves as a last resort.

It's not that Home Depot uses a systemic...I worked for Lowes and can almost guarentee that no one had the time or desire to treat any plants once they were in the store...But the growers who grow the plants for Home Depot..Lowe's...Walmart..and many garden centers...often use pesticides to protect their plants.

The only way to be sure they're safe is to grow the plant yourself (and then hope your town doesn't do something stupid like spray for mosquitoes.)

How long for these eggs to hatch?

Monday will be a week.

Maryann

Maryann, a week to 10 days, usually. Less when it gets warmer.

Someone mentioned in my other forum that the plants they purchased (I think it was curly parsley) were quickly devoured by BSTs. I guess maybe they don't spray the herbs??? Perhaps because people might be eating them right away???

Keep us posted on your MC eggs. I wish you the best of luck. BTW, how's John doing? Still out there with the moths?

Susan

Hi Susan, hope you're doing OK with all the rough weather there.

I haven't heard too much from John lately although I got an email from him about a month ago after I'd posted to the CT Butterfly Assoc. site about my raising 52 BSTs over the winter. Still none have eclosed. He really has a great sense of humor.

Well pilfered tig from the willow shiveled up and died dispite being put in water. That solves that dilemma.

Maryann

Hey Maryann,

Don't fret over those BSTs not eclosing...I had Anise Swallowtails in diapause for like ten months or so (if not longer!) before finally eclosing. I just taught a butterfly science class to teachers and I told them that with those Swallowtails (of any sort) you just can't predict when they'll eclose! They're just like human children...everything on their own time (or like training Shih Tzus...). They'll come out when they're ready.

CalSherry

True Sherry, they're in no hurry at all. I'm glad because, although others have seen a few BST flying up here, I don't know what they'd nectar on yet. Although my parsley overwintered and bronze fennel is growing like a weed, so I'll have host plants ready.

I can't wait for some really warm weather. My week in Nevada with daily dry, warm, and sunny spoiled me!

Maryann in CT (with a nor'easter just offshore)

Well, the eggs ( I had 9 ) have hatched on Wednesday and I put them with some willow leaves. The teenie cats are so cute! They have big heads and are almost clear! Tomorrow I'll move them into a better set up and try to get a few pictures.

Maryann

Congrats, Maryann!!! Be glad that your not having a heat wave right now. Hopefully, the willow cuttings will last longer in cooler weather for you. One summer, I tried to raise Viceroys with triple digit temps. I was having to go out and get fresh willow from the ditches every day, as it wilted so bad!!!

Be sure to give us updates.

Linda, funny you should say that about the willow. I cut a small branch figuring it would keep indefinitely in water, it wilted in a couple of days. Now I know why. I guess these guys will get me busy until I can locate a new host plant nearby.

I'm going to offer a birch leaf or two...What do you think, will they take it?

Maryann

PS...no heat wave here. It's about 49 and raining. It sure is a late spring.

When I raise Mourning Cloaks (Nymphalis antiopa) the thing I do is provide little 'stalks' or 'sprigs' of Willow (Salix) depending upon the instar. Willow just doesn't seem to do well in water and despite wilting, it doesn't dry out overly quickly so by watching it and keeping an eye on how much the larvae consume, it wasn't a problem.

I have a Willow in a large pot now so that I can always provide for my little munchers. :)

Elm is another host plant...