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Post by boondude on Nov 26, 2006 13:02:00 GMT -5
Don't post much ,usually lurk in the shadows. I'm in Leamington Ont. right on the doorstep of Point Pelee Nat'l park. Grow all types of stuff(tropical) bananas,bamboos, gingers.Just 8 years into CP's Went to university for biology and branched off into botany and entomology. I have been collecting and rearing Lepidoptera for over 20 years(mostly Saturniidae).Took over the family business at 22 and hence now i am a welder/ machinist/repair anything magician.Soo much for school. Sold business 2 years ago and built my dream home out in the country.My pride is the Solarium where i can overwinter all my big plants. Always wanted a big place for plants where i can shoot water all over and i don't get yelled at LOL. Guess that's it. lots of knowledge here in this forum!! Mikey
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Post by mabudon on Nov 26, 2006 13:34:57 GMT -5
Heck, glad you finally made your "intro" man, it's always good when we Heavy Metal folks align And as far as I have seen, he doesn't bite
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Post by lloyd on Nov 26, 2006 20:49:08 GMT -5
Time to combine your talents to build a huge CP TC facility in Pt. Pelee.
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Post by insectivore on Nov 26, 2006 20:58:12 GMT -5
Hey Glad to see an Intro! What is it with all you Heavy metal fans? Were's all the Rap/Hip hop Fans?! ;D Cya P.S. It was just a smart ass coment and I don't want to offend anybody...
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Post by Rick Hillier on Nov 27, 2006 8:43:50 GMT -5
Hey boondude,
Welcome to the forums. You're among friends here (even those hip hop guys ;D ).
I used to lepidoptera (mainly Monarchs) when I was younger and would like to again with my daughter. About 8 years ago, we found a pile of larvae in a field opposite my workplace, reared them all to adulthood and released them. My daughter was abolutely mesmerized, even at age three with the whole process. Her favourite part, of course, was having them on her hands as they prepared for their first flight.
The problem around this neck of the woods (Kitchener) is that there are few butterflies of ANY species around anymore.
Back to the topic at hand, you must be growing some killer CPs in your wonderful climate!!!
>>> Rick <<<
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Post by Syble on Nov 27, 2006 10:28:35 GMT -5
nice to see you resurface again, I think your my physicaly closest CP contact! Hows your pygmie collection? Rick, I found gardening for the butterfly populations helps. I've been growing a large stand of dill for the puney black swallowtail population and I've seen a notable increase in their numbers since the beginning (been doing it for 7 years?) I've also reared viceroys, and ofcourse monarchs (I think everyone has at one point!), but I've also done some of the local silk moths, cecropia, luna, and polyphemus, those in particular seam sensative to parasites. Thanks, sib
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Post by Rick Hillier on Nov 27, 2006 16:16:41 GMT -5
Hi Syble,
I had a large butterfly bush in front of the house until last year. During its first years, I noticed a ton of butterflies, especially Monarchs, but there was a noticeable decline over the years.
The field where my daughter and I found hundreds one year (with which we had a 99% success rate releasing as adults) had absolutely none a few years ago - the milkweed is still there.
We even drove around the county for several hours and could not find any.
Had carrots, dill and parsley in the back yard - no success. Had to use them for their "normal" functions.
Regarding other species, I've only seen a Cecropia larva once and a colony of Mourning Cloak larvae on a golf course once.
Where and how do you find the others?
>>> Rick <<<
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Post by lloyd on Nov 27, 2006 16:51:16 GMT -5
This year we had a bumper crop of monarchs, all over our area of Toronto. I found eggs on milkweed all over the place. Last year we had some milkweed in a pot and ended up raising and releasing dozens of adults. We stopped when I found that captive monarchs can spread a parasite. We even found a swallowtail caterpillar on the steps this summer.
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Post by Syble on Nov 27, 2006 22:38:57 GMT -5
parsley and carrots and dill are all good plants, many people forget to plant larval food when they garden for butterflies. My farm has a hay/forrage field at the back and the neighbours have a baby forest/field going on so theres lots of good habitat. I forgot to mention giant swallowtails, reared a ton of them. I've supplied stock for people in the past to get their local populations established, weather it truely helps or not is another matter. One way to increase the population is by rearing as many from as early a stage as you can. So eggs are best, least chance of parasites then. I've traped adult females and left them caged over their host plant then relased them after a couple of days. there's all kinds of info out there, mike can probably instruct you better then I can. Thanks, sib
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Post by Rick Hillier on Nov 28, 2006 11:30:17 GMT -5
Having the surrounding habitat definitely helps. Unfortunately, there's not too much left around my area.
I didn't see my first Giant Swallowtail until four years ago on the beach at our cottage in Grand Bend. I thought it must have been a stray blown up here from the mid-to south- USA.
Later that summer, we finally went to Pt. Pelee and found that they are common there due to that microclimate. Are they that common in your area? I'd love to try rearing a bunch of them next year, but I don't know if they'd survive in the Kitchene-Waterloo area.
Regarding Monarchs, I was talking to a couple of farm owners in this area, and apparently, they are encouraged by the province to spray all of the milkweed on their property. Alot of them must be doing this because I remember milkweed being common along the fencelines, and it's virtually non-existent on long stretches of highway around here. That must put a dent in the species ability to migrate up here, as we haven't seen a larva in this open field across from my office in years despite the presence of tousands of the plants.
Bummer.
>>> Rick <<<
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Post by boondude on Nov 30, 2006 12:23:34 GMT -5
I plant hoptrees ::Ptelea trifoliata:: and have giant swallowtails laying ova all over them in July. Rock on
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Post by hpulley on Dec 2, 2006 7:00:39 GMT -5
Have you had your banana flower? Ours is doing really well, no flowers yet though; probably needs to grow a few more feet in height at least.
Harry
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Post by funkytechnician on Dec 5, 2006 19:49:33 GMT -5
Hay, welcome aboard ;D
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