Things are taking off here. Had my first luna pairing last night and more hatch out. A couple of polyphemus females have hatched this morning. Cecropia, promethea, and io usually start following up a little later. I sell the ova 20 for $12.50 shipped in a bubble mailer.

Spring is here

After having snow just a couple weeks ago, spring has taken off. Ephemeral wildflowers are all in bloom. yesterday I was out and saw trout lilies (interestingly enough, I only ever saw the white ones back in Minnesota/ Wisconsin, whereas here in Michigan, I have only seen yellow) hepatica, spring beauty, dutchmans breeches, waterleaf, and wild leeks (ramps). I also saw may apples and skunk cabbage popping up.

Butterfly season appears to be starting too. It will still be a while before monarchs return and silkmoths and swallowtails hatch. But I saw viceroy caterpillars out of their hibernacula, had some commas and red admirals in my butterfly trap, and saw lots of little webs of eastern tent caterpillars. These annoy people, but are actually native and seldom kill trees as they mature in plenty of time for trees to leaf back out after being defoliated by the little buggers.

Eastern tent caterpillar

Viceroy caterpillar

Skunk cabbage and May apples

Hepatica

Due to time availability and life changes, I haven't added anything to my blog in some time. I relocated to Southwest Michigan a couple years ago. I am starting to work hard on getting my butterfly stuff ready for this year. The winter that would't die seems to finally be loosening it's reigns. I would expect to see the types of butterflies that overwinter as adults soon (Commas, questionmarks, Mourning cloaks and others. but It will likely still be a month or so till swallowtails and monarchs will be seen, and a little bit longer before Saturniidae moths are out.  I will try to regularly keep updated on what is going on with my butterfly stuff regularly this spring so check back.

I had to have surgery this summer and it made a big mess of all my summer plans. I do have some overwintering cocoons available of luna, polyphemus and io. They are $5ea. You can keep them in the fridge in a sealed container and they will hatch out in spring

With consistent warmer weather I am getting more moths to hatch out, attract wild mates, and lay eggs. I am now getting cecropia, io, and promethea. I am still getting luna and polyphemus as well. Ova from all of these are $15 for 20 shipped.

cecropia pairing

I'm starting to see more butterflies and moths in my yard. My moths are just starting to hatch and attract mates. I have eggs available from A luna and A polyphemus. I sell the eggs (ova) for $15 for 20. C promethea,  A io, and H cecropia should be available in a couple more weeks. They are almost always later than polyphemus and luna.

My first polyphemus pairing of the year

The white admiral caterpillar I posted last time has now made a pupa (chrysalis) and should hatch in the next week or two. 

Virginia bluebells blooming in my yard

White admiral caterpillar that I overwintered eating choke cherry

Were getting closer. Spring has come. Early spring flowers are up. Some of the plants and my prairie/ butterfly garden and poking through. I can barely see many of my milkweeds coming up. Most trees are leafing out. I have only seen a few butterflies; cabbage whites and sulphers. I have heard reports of others though. I have all of my cocoons and sphinx pupa outside. It will probably be at least a couple weeks till they start hatching. They usually don't start until overnight temps are above 50F and we are not there yet. (It was 39 when I got up this morning). I plan on having luna, polyphemus, promethea, cecropia, and io  ova(eggs) available. I sell them $15 for 20 and that includes mailing them. I mail them in small padded envelopes as they usually get there quicker. I prefer not to sell them in smaller quantities, but if you want to mix and match that is fine as long as they are available at the same time. Sometimes they are and other not. I have no control over it. Most years they seem to have an order in which they hatch. Luna usually start hatching first in late May followed by polyphemus in early June, and then cecropia, promethea, and io in mid June. I might have other sphinx and butterfly species, but I'll wait to post these as they come available.

Rattlesnake Master coming up in my prairie/ butterfly garden