Congrats Iris! Funny that you saw a zebra and I've yet to see one here in Englewood. They and the Gulf Frits were by far the most common in Williston.

Love the pic of the zebra on the Mexican sunflower! My sunflowers I started from your seed got knocked down by Irma but have started flowering already after just cutting them back a week and a half ago :)

Rhonda

It was a real treat. A lot of my plants broke and fell over in that storm, even though the strongest gust was just about 50 mph here. I thought I am going to start the Fall cleanup early, but it is slow going. Have to be so careful not to rip out/ cut off any chrysalis. They seem to be everywhere.

Nice pic, Iris.

I really enjoy the Longwings. They have such a lazy, I-don't-care flight pattern that's unlike any other butterfly that I know of.

Rhonda, they are like the Polydamas. They stick around after they have hatched--as long as the passion vines are still around. Eventually they will find your garden, and when they do you will probably have them continuously.

They do like the Mexican Sunflowers, but they also really like the Hamelia Patens which I have in several different places on my property.

I looked the plant up. Beautiful. Too bad it is not hardy for me.

It's really amazing that you saw one in your zone, Iris. They have to be exceedingly rare in your area. Are there any Polydamas in your zone?

You are right about the Hamelia Patens. They are quite cold sensitive. They might live in a protected area in zone 8b or so, but any kind of hard freeze would kill off any above-ground growth. A prolonged hard freeze would kill off the roots also.

That would be really pushing it... I thought I saw a Palamedes this Summer, but it was a false alarm. But with seeing the Longwing there is hope. Their range is close.

Do you see any Zebra Swallowtails? Does the A. tomentosa grow in your zone?

I have seen two early this season, way down from last year. No caterpillars even though my paw paw trees are finally big enough. I have wooly pipevine (3rd year now) and white veined pipevine. I probably have host plants for most of the butterflies around now. I do have 5 acres to play with. Maybe not the purple hairstreak. I have seen mistletoe on riverbirch and pear, but not on oak.

Tom,

I love your description of the longwing's flight...spot-on! That flight makes them the easiest butterfly to photograph in my book. I was just so surprised that I hadn't seen them yet, I always pictured them as being more populous in South Florida. I hope you are correct and I will see them soon as the passion vines are growing like crazy...still with lots of Gulf Frit cats:)

Besides the Mexican Sunflowers, I do have a few Hamelia Patens around. Did you have to cut that giant one behind your pool cage down?

Rhonda

No, Rhonda, it's still there and going strong, as are the others, so called "dwarfs" behind the pool. These plants are thugs. once they throw down roots they are extremely difficult to get rid of. I have them popping up in many different places. Mostly, I'm alright with them, but if I let them they would take over the entire garden.

Let us know when you see a hummer or your first Zebra Longwing.

My Pipevines seemed to have disappeared along with any Black Swallowtails. Still seeing many others, though.

White veined pipevine, Iris? Is that the Fimbriata? Or something else?

Yes, it is the Fimbriata. Sorry, slow to catch on with scientific names.

Rhonda, the sulphurs are having a great year. I saw at least 15 at once in one of my new flowerbeds alone. I am amazed at the difference a couple of months make. The first picture is from April 18th.