And there's a very good photo accompanying the piece in today's
Metro/State section. This is our second summer for seeing lots of them
in close-in south Austin. Passion flowers are not profuse, but there's
plenty of vine. Has anyone else been seeing these very handsome
butterflies? In what part of town? ......just wondering

The Zebras have been in our yard since July at least. No passion vine,
but lots of lantana and turk's cap. North Central off of Koenig.

Cea


article ,
Texensis wrote:

And there's a very good photo accompanying the piece in today's
Metro/State section. This is our second summer for seeing lots of them
in close-in south Austin. Passion flowers are not profuse, but there's
plenty of vine. Has anyone else been seeing these very handsome
butterflies? In what part of town? ......just wondering

On Mon, 27 Sep 2004 16:50:15 GMT, "Texensis"
wrote:

And there's a very good photo accompanying the piece in today's
Metro/State section. This is our second summer for seeing lots of them
in close-in south Austin. Passion flowers are not profuse, but there's
plenty of vine. Has anyone else been seeing these very handsome
butterflies? In what part of town? ......just wondering


We have been getting regular visits of Zebra longwings as well as a
variety of other butterflies to the Lantana and Esperanza in our front
yard, right outside my office window, in SW Austin (Westcreek
neighborhood). However, I have not seen any today.

Elliot Richmond
Freelance Science Writer and Editor

Yes. I've seen lots this year. I'm between Camp Mabry & the 2222/Mopac
intersection. I have lantanas & other native plants in my yard. This
year I put in some wafer ash and I've noticed giant swallowtails around
those. I even had swallowtail caterpillars on one! They are so fantastic
- they look like bird droppings. Great camouflage.

-Nancy

Texensis wrote:
And there's a very good photo accompanying the piece in today's
Metro/State section. This is our second summer for seeing lots of them
in close-in south Austin. Passion flowers are not profuse, but there's
plenty of vine. Has anyone else been seeing these very handsome
butterflies? In what part of town? ......just wondering

Lots of them! Near 45th and Shoal Creek.


--
Victor Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
Send your spam he
Email me he

On Mon, 27 Sep 2004 16:50:15 GMT, "Texensis"
wrote:

And there's a very good photo accompanying the piece in today's
Metro/State section. This is our second summer for seeing lots of them
in close-in south Austin. Passion flowers are not profuse, but there's
plenty of vine. Has anyone else been seeing these very handsome
butterflies? In what part of town? ......just wondering


I have seen a few in the past two weeks. At home, roughly where Nancy
mentioned (Mabry x 2222& MoPac) and on the patio at Triumph Cafe
(Spicewood Sprgs between MoPac and Mesa)

There seem to be quite a lot of both black and giant swallowtails this
year. The giant swallowtails like my mandarines and kaffir limes
while the black ones have left their chysalis on everything from
cilantro to parsley.

Texensis wrote:
And there's a very good photo accompanying the piece in today's
Metro/State section. This is our second summer for seeing lots of them
in close-in south Austin. Passion flowers are not profuse, but there's
plenty of vine. Has anyone else been seeing these very handsome
butterflies? In what part of town? ......just wondering


I was just surprised by a couple of giant swallowtails that were hangin'
wit my Turk's Cap. Cedar Park

Texensis wrote:

And there's a very good photo accompanying the piece in today's
Metro/State section. This is our second summer for seeing lots of them
in close-in south Austin. Passion flowers are not profuse, but there's
plenty of vine. Has anyone else been seeing these very handsome
butterflies? In what part of town? ......just wondering


I have three large passion vines -- one has almost taken over a Methley
Plum tree that never does anything anyway...

Therefore, I have a yard full of zebra longwings out 2244 and
Cuernavaca. They are everywhere... And the red dragonflies. I love those
guys! They are the sweetest! Every time I walk out the door, one comes
to greet me by landing on one of the wire tomato cages at my eye's height.

He or she sits and cocks his little head and we have a chat for the
morning...

Yeah... ok... my man friend had to remind me the size of the dragonfly's
brain -- no larger than a little finger nail clipping. So...!!!

Doesn't matter -- they communicate in other ways -- by following me
around the yard and landing nearby and cocking their little heads and
looking me straight in the eye.

And that's the truth! Gae

In article ,
Gae Xavier wrote:

Texensis wrote:

And there's a very good photo accompanying the piece in today's
Metro/State section. This is our second summer for seeing lots of them
in close-in south Austin. Passion flowers are not profuse, but there's
plenty of vine. Has anyone else been seeing these very handsome
butterflies? In what part of town? ......just wondering


I have three large passion vines -- one has almost taken over a Methley
Plum tree that never does anything anyway...

Therefore, I have a yard full of zebra longwings out 2244 and
Cuernavaca. They are everywhere... And the red dragonflies. I love those
guys! They are the sweetest! Every time I walk out the door, one comes
to greet me by landing on one of the wire tomato cages at my eye's height.

He or she sits and cocks his little head and we have a chat for the
morning...

Yeah... ok... my man friend had to remind me the size of the dragonfly's
brain -- no larger than a little finger nail clipping. So...!!!

Doesn't matter -- they communicate in other ways -- by following me
around the yard and landing nearby and cocking their little heads and
looking me straight in the eye.

And that's the truth! Gae

We lived on Casa Grande for a couple of years and have just moved back
to "town" - I sure do miss those red dragonflies, among other things.
You're right, they were everywhere and so beautiful and interactive.

But, we had a zebra fall asleep on a tree limb above our heads as we sat
on the patio last night - and later, a screech owl showed her/himself.
So "town" is turning out okay after all.

Regards,

jojo

jojo wrote:
In article ,
Gae Xavier wrote:


Texensis wrote:


And there's a very good photo accompanying the piece in today's
Metro/State section. This is our second summer for seeing lots of them
in close-in south Austin. Passion flowers are not profuse, but there's
plenty of vine. Has anyone else been seeing these very handsome
butterflies? In what part of town? ......just wondering



I have three large passion vines -- one has almost taken over a Methley
Plum tree that never does anything anyway...

Therefore, I have a yard full of zebra longwings out 2244 and
Cuernavaca. They are everywhere... And the red dragonflies. I love those
guys! They are the sweetest! Every time I walk out the door, one comes
to greet me by landing on one of the wire tomato cages at my eye's height.

He or she sits and cocks his little head and we have a chat for the
morning...

Yeah... ok... my man friend had to remind me the size of the dragonfly's
brain -- no larger than a little finger nail clipping. So...!!!

Doesn't matter -- they communicate in other ways -- by following me
around the yard and landing nearby and cocking their little heads and
looking me straight in the eye.

And that's the truth! Gae


We lived on Casa Grande for a couple of years and have just moved back
to "town" - I sure do miss those red dragonflies, among other things.
You're right, they were everywhere and so beautiful and interactive.

But, we had a zebra fall asleep on a tree limb above our heads as we sat
on the patio last night - and later, a screech owl showed her/himself.
So "town" is turning out okay after all.

Regards,

jojo

Good for you! Wildlife in Austin town!

Well, the one passion vine (I have several) growing in a container and
draped around a tree trunk was swarming with the Zebras the other day so
I ran in to get my camera.

There were 2 or 3 Zebras flying around it, caterpillars on it and and a
couple mating in it, so... just get your self a couple of passion vines
and you will create a habitat for lots and lots of butterflies.

I am seeing a lot of the orange frits. and sulfurs now too.

There is one dragonfly who is my favorite. He has one half of a bottom
right side wing, so I know it is him when we chat.

LOL -- Gae

In article ,
Gae Xavier wrote:

Good for you! Wildlife in Austin town!

Well, the one passion vine (I have several) growing in a container and
draped around a tree trunk was swarming with the Zebras the other day so
I ran in to get my camera.

There were 2 or 3 Zebras flying around it, caterpillars on it and and a
couple mating in it, so... just get your self a couple of passion vines
and you will create a habitat for lots and lots of butterflies.

I am seeing a lot of the orange frits. and sulfurs now too.

There is one dragonfly who is my favorite. He has one half of a bottom
right side wing, so I know it is him when we chat.

LOL -- Gae

wow, what a sight I'm sure. Had a passionflower vine at one time, but
don't remember a butterfly extravaganza like the one you describe -
maybe I need to try again in a different location.

I remember when we lived in Travis Heights - Blunn Creek in our backyard
- HUNDREDS of gulf frits on the ancient Burr Oak that grew alongside its
banks. I'll never forget it. I miss that Burr Oak.

I want to grow some dill for the swallowtails (or is it Monarchs, I
never can remember - or is it fennel? ha!).

Regards,

jojo

jojo" wrote in message
...
| In article ,
| Gae Xavier wrote:
|
| Good for you! Wildlife in Austin town!
|
| Well, the one passion vine (I have several) growing in a container
and
| draped around a tree trunk was swarming with the Zebras the other
day so
| I ran in to get my camera.
|
| There were 2 or 3 Zebras flying around it, caterpillars on it and
and a
| couple mating in it, so... just get your self a couple of passion
vines
| and you will create a habitat for lots and lots of butterflies.
|
| I am seeing a lot of the orange frits. and sulfurs now too.
|
| There is one dragonfly who is my favorite. He has one half of a
bottom
| right side wing, so I know it is him when we chat.
|
| LOL -- Gae
|
| wow, what a sight I'm sure. Had a passionflower vine at one time,
but
| don't remember a butterfly extravaganza like the one you describe -
| maybe I need to try again in a different location.
|
| I remember when we lived in Travis Heights - Blunn Creek in our
backyard
| - HUNDREDS of gulf frits on the ancient Burr Oak that grew alongside
its
| banks. I'll never forget it. I miss that Burr Oak.
|
| I want to grow some dill for the swallowtails (or is it Monarchs, I
| never can remember - or is it fennel? ha!).
|
| Regards,
|
| jojo

These past couple of weeks in close-in south Austin, we've seen
hundreds of gulf fritillaries, clouded sulphurs, zebra longwings,
smaller sulphurs and small less spectacular butterflies, plus some
giant black swallowtails, and quite a few monarchs coasting in on cool
fronts. They've all been industriously at the passion vine, the
hyacinth beans, the asclepias / milkweed plants, and the lantanas. A
neighbor gave me a tip that monarchs particularly like Gregg's mist
(conoclinium greggii or eupatorium greggii). I'd seen this plant
around without knowing its name, although it certainly appears to be a
strange kind of aster relative. All sorts of butterflies like our
fennel.

In article
,
"Texensis" wrote:


These past couple of weeks in close-in south Austin, we've seen
hundreds of gulf fritillaries, clouded sulphurs, zebra longwings,
smaller sulphurs and small less spectacular butterflies, plus some
giant black swallowtails, and quite a few monarchs coasting in on cool
fronts. They've all been industriously at the passion vine, the
hyacinth beans, the asclepias / milkweed plants, and the lantanas. A
neighbor gave me a tip that monarchs particularly like Gregg's mist
(conoclinium greggii or eupatorium greggii). I'd seen this plant
around without knowing its name, although it certainly appears to be a
strange kind of aster relative. All sorts of butterflies like our
fennel.

I googled Gregg's mist flower to see what it looks like - here's a link: http://tinyurl.com/63ufk

I'd seen it around too and also didn't know what it was - I'll have to
plant some for the Ms.

Thanks!

Regards,

jojo