The damage butterflies can do!

Discussion in 'Wildlife in the Garden' started by marlingardener, Oct 26, 2016.

  1. marlingardener

    marlingardener Happy

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    We have two Passionvines planted on purpose for the Gulf Fritillary butterflies (host plant). The vines were thriving, and even bloomed. Here is what is left after the Gulf's ate the leaves and started on the stems:
    Passion vine remains.jpg

    And this is one of the instars (caterpillars) that did this:
    Gulf Fritillary instar.jpg
    We don't mind because the vine will recover and we'll go through the same thing next summer and fall!
     
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  3. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Not only will the vines return next spring, they will bring along at least a dozen of their underground running relatives!!!
     
    Last edited: Oct 26, 2016
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  4. waretrop

    waretrop Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    Wow, they stripped it....I agree with toni.....they should come back stronger next year..
     
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  5. mart

    mart Strong Ash

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    If you need more next year,, let me know. Our big garden has plenty that need a home.Wish those catapillars would come here.
     
    Last edited: Oct 27, 2016
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  6. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    It is amazing, isn't it.
    Those guys can eat for Texas!
     
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  7. marlingardener

    marlingardener Happy

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    Mart, thank you for the offer, but we have three vines going now and I think that there will be more in the spring (according to Toni!).
    Sjoerd, those little caterpillars do have Texas size appetites, or it may be the sheer numbers of them.
     
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  8. 2ofus

    2ofus Hardy Maple

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    That's amazing! How large were the vines before they were devoured?
     
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  9. marlingardener

    marlingardener Happy

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    The vine was about 6' long, with multiple branches. It even crawled into the zinnias and I had to gently lift it out and put it back on the trellis. Next year, bigger trellis!
     
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  10. stratsmom

    stratsmom Flower Fanatic

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    WOWIE ZOWIE!!:setf_050::setf_050: They are hungry little buggars!!
     
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  11. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    The 17 Swallowtail cats on my Fennel about two months ago stripped two 6 foot tall plants clean. :eek: But I loved seeing the butterflies all over the front and back gardens a few weeks later.
     
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  12. Henry Johnson

    Henry Johnson In Flower

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    Which, of course, is why we plant these larval host plants for the various butterflies; so we end up with all these beautiful "FLYING FLOWERS" ...
    Hank
     
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  13. Tacticalgardener

    Tacticalgardener Seedling

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    My passion vines have the same thing. You have to be careful though (if you are trying to get flowers) because once they eat all the leaves they will start on the vine ends and stop their growth until they recover. In my zone, the vines can live all year, so in order to have a happy median (caterpillar and flower) I hand pick some of the caterpillars so they don't totally destroy the whole vine. I get a lot of caterpillars / butterflies and have some of a vine left. 20161006_125948_resized.jpg 20161017_135634_resized.jpg
     
  14. Islandlife

    Islandlife Young Pine

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    Wow..........
     
  15. Sherry8

    Sherry8 I Love Birds!

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    I had that happen to some plants I had too but a different type of caterpillar, I think it was the swallowtail. I can't remember positively which plant, but I think it was parsley.
     
  16. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Parsley is a host plant for Swallowtail cats....and Fennel is another plus several more. I have parsley and fennel planted in several places front and back just for them since we do not eat either. Yesterday there were 6 Caterpillars on the Fennel out front and about a dozen eggs just waiting for their turn to live.
    Have not seen any Fritillary cats on our passionflower vines yet but the vines are just getting started here this year.
     

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