MissSherry, it's so nice to hear from you. Your little guy is lovely!! What an early spring treat. Are there blooms for him to feed from in your area?

I am watching my overwintering chrysalides closely and worrying about them. It is unseasonably warm here and is supposed to stay that way through the week. If they're fooled and eclose, there will be no flowers for them to feed from.

With all of this warm weather, plant growth is beginning to pop here. Virginia Bluebells are coming up. Rue and Bronze Fennel are putting on fresh foliage. Frostweed is putting up new growth (so excited to see the blooms on this one this coming fall), as is a new variety of coneflower. Woolly pipevine looks like buds are beginning to swell. You are probably pretty safe with the early plant growth but we could still have a freeze this year. Still, I just can't help but get excited when I see new plant growth everywhere; come on spring. :-)

Mary

Yes, Mary, there are blooms for him to feed from - indican azaleas are blooming all over, native azaleas are starting to do so, blueberries, service berries, and my butterfly bush (small tree?) 'Orange Septre' is full of blooms.

I get excited, too, every year when new foliage and blooms are popping out. At this point, I'm almost tempted to go ahead and plant my porterweed and pentas, but I'll let my head rule and not do so, since it might yet get below 40 degrees. The sun is shining again today, and I'll be outside soon. In your part of Arkansas it might freeze, but this winter, unlike the last two or three, has been very mild, so I doubt it.

My pipevines are making new growth, so, if this pipevine swallowtail finds a mate, there should be leaves to feed caterpillars.

I'm jealous that you have Virginia bluebells - what a beautiful flower! I've only seen them in pictures, but I've always wished they'd grow here. I planted some once, never to see them again.

Sherry

'Saw a silver-spotted skipper today, a red admiral yesterday, and the Carolina satyrs are plentiful. 'Been working outside for the past few days, because of the beautiful weather.

Sherry

Good for you, Sherry. Being outside will do you good. It always lifts my spirits. We had a lovely day here, too. I had to work inside but I would go out and walk about every now and then, just to enjoy the weather and sunshine. I've not seen anything other than the little moths that gather around the deck light at night. Some daffodils in my neighbors yard and some type of ornamental fruit tree up the street is in bloom but that's about all in the way of open blooms around here right now. The buds on the Carolina Jasmine are getting ready to open but I don't know if anything feeds from them. Same for the candytuft. It is really loading up on buds and is one of the first things in my spring garden that actually opens it's blooms. Gosh, I hope mild weather is here to stay, otherwise, some plants are going to be set back for sure.

Mary

Since the first pipevine swallowtail emerged, about ?6 or 7 more emerged, and now there are 3 more waiting to be released in the cage, all 3 males. There's been a disproportionate number of males this spring, just a few females. I can remember a few years ago, there were far more females than males. I just hope at least one mating will take place - the pipevines are growing vigorously.

Sherry