New Beginnings, Caterpillars and Such

Category: Garden Projects | Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 5:31 pm

This is the little fella that I am raising inside so we can watch his growth. He loves to eat Passionflower vine leaves! For some reason I never see the caterpillars outside make it to a large size so I wanted to give this guy personal protection. I do this with the monarchs and queen butterflies too.

Here is the FIRST bud on my echinacea. I am anxiously awaiting the appearance of this flower! There are 2 other buds coming too....so excited!

I've just planted these Giant Moonflower seedlings along my back fence. I've never grown these before but from the pictures I've seen, I can't wait to have them all over my fence. They are impressively large seedlings too! I've got plans for a few other vines to cover this fence. Cobaea (cup and saucer vine) and also Coral Vine. It is a big fence so there should be room for them to twine in harmony.

I've got my newest garden bed all cleared. It is most definitely an ugly site right now:

We are going to even the stumps a bit....both will hold planters...and after seeing Eileen's picture of the tree stump person I think I will need to make it a face and let the planter be a hat...maybe full of jewel box nasturtiums. This is going to be my dramatic violet and orange garden. A bicolor butterfly bush is going to go right at the back--it has shades of raspberry and orange...it was the main inspiration for the color choice.

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toni wrote on Wed May 23, 2007 5:43 pm:

That is one scary looking caterpillar you have there.
I love Moonflower vines, they do get huge and the fragrance is wonderful.
The stump as a face with the potted plant as a hat is a cute idea. Can't wait to see pictures of this bed all in bloom.

hummingbird3172 wrote on Wed May 23, 2007 5:44 pm:

Thanks Toni! This is the bed that I plan to put the Pride of Madeira inside! Lotsa purple there!

glendann wrote on Wed May 23, 2007 6:28 pm:

I have a Passion Flower vine out side but don't allow the caterpillars stay on it because I do love the flowers.

hummingbird3172 wrote on Wed May 23, 2007 7:16 pm:

My caterpillars never seem to do very much damage....I think something's eating them before they get very big. The leaves are a tiny bit holey but not what you'd think. The flowers smell amazing don't they?

eileen wrote on Wed May 23, 2007 8:43 pm:

Are you going to keep your caterpillar until it pupates and then turns into a butterfly Hummingbird? If you are then please keep posting piccies of the various stages as I, for one, would love yo see them.

hummingbird3172 wrote on Wed May 23, 2007 10:02 pm:

Hi Eileen, yes I am planning to keep him until he is ready to fly away. Judging by his size it won't be too much longer until he pupates and then after that it is usually about 2 weeks. He looks frightful, but his spines are actually quite soft, like little fleshy pieces of skin. I've got him in a bug cage that has a wooden dowel just for caterpillars to hang their chrysalis. This is my first fritillary (I actually brought two inside--this was just the more photogenic of the two), but I've raised monarchs, queens, and sulphur butterflies inside this "cage".

Chitweed wrote on Thu May 24, 2007 11:45 am:

I was cleaning my Moonbeam Coreopsis of last years debris (I'm am almost embarrassed to say because I'm so late getting everything going) and as I did I came across something icky. I didn't even look at it, just an automatic 'throw it!' reflex. Then I went to see what I threw. It was 2 of the prettiest little caterpillar 'winter homes' with the little guys still in there. Hoping they weren't too bumped and bruised I moved them back to the coreopsis. I can't wait for them to come out, both to see what they are (I'm not a great identifier of the b4 stages of butterflies and such), and to say..."Hey. Sorry for the unannounced pitch into the yard." Now maybe I'm thinking I should invite them inside...hmmmmm.

hummingbird3172 wrote on Thu May 24, 2007 12:53 pm:

You never know what you might have! I found some cocoons and I kept them inside and a had an incredible tiget moth come out. The only reason I knew for sure about these caterpillars was because I saw their Mom lay her eggs.

bethie wrote on Thu May 24, 2007 2:37 pm:

We have lots of native passionvine here for the fritillary. We get lots of monarchs but no queens here. Look forward to seeing yours. That empty bed looks promising.

hummingbird3172 wrote on Thu May 24, 2007 2:58 pm:

Thanks Bethie, we have a lot of native passionflower vines too (or did--they've been doing so much development here), so I am honored when they come and visit MY lowly vine.

I just planted some Sundown echinacea, decor zinnias, Grandpa Ott morning glories (to climb the bigger stump), and peach passion sunflowers. I am getting some purple sage and orange snapdragons this weekend (IF I can find them).

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