Butterflies and Pipes

It seems these last couple of weeks have been a time for the butterflies.  Carol at Flowerhill Farm just posted about her Monarch butterfly birth and my last two posts discussed two types of Urbanas longtail Skippers.  Actually, it seems this has been a banner year for butterflies altogether.  Thankfully, it seems the show is not over. 

My friends Cindy and Chris were fortunate

to witness the miracle of birth for numerous

Gold Rim Swallowtails, or the Battus polydamus.

This one is just emerging!

Here she is with fresh, wet wings, free from her cocoon.

Chris said he could actually see the wings expanding and growing right before his eyes!

She gets her bearings as her wings expand and dry for her first flight.  

This photo shows the upper side of the Gold Rim Swallowtail.

Courtesy of www.ufl.edu

This species is one of only two swallowtail butterflies in the United States without tails.

Courtesy www.ufl.edu via Andrei Sourakov

These are the eggs laid by the butterfly.

Courtesy www.ufl.edu via Andrei Sourakov

These are the Gold Rim Swallowtail larvae / caterpillars. 

They have HUGE appetites!

I was with Cindy and Chris when they purchased their

Dutchman's Pipe Vine,

host plant to the Gold Rim Swallowtail.

This vine is a large, fast growing plant that will cover a trellis

in the first year. 

Courtesy of Wikipedia.com

The Pipevine gets it's name from the formation of the blooms that

resemble a large, old fashioned pipe. 

The plant is also host to the Pipevine Swallowtail. 

Courtesy Wikipedia.com

Courtesy Wikipedia.com

Pipevine Swallowtail lower side.

Courtesy Wikipedia.com

This is the Pipevine Swallowtail Caterpillar. Very exotic!!

Cindy and Chris witnessed numerous Pipevine caterpillars,

but they succumbed to hungry birds before

they could morph into the glamorous butterly!

Mother Nature at work!

I haven't been blessed with either of these butterflies...YET! 

Cindy gave me some pipevine seeds and I already have a couple of seedlings. 

Thanks, Cindy! 

BTW, I've been after her to start blogging.

Her property is AMAZING...you'd LOVE it!!!

I was blessed to capture this beautiful Monarch with my lense this afternoon.

PS - This post is dedicated to 

all the innocent victims of the 9-11 attacks,

along with the brave heroes that selflessly gave their lives

to this horrible act of terrorism!

May God bless their souls and their families!