pablo - email - url
Well, I know a man whose last name is Greenwood. And you might find this interesting. The New World Puritans so hated the pagan influences that they even tried to prevent the use of the names of the month, saying instead things like “the 30th day of the fourth month” or "the first day of the fifth month.)
As for those critters, I don’t know. I suspect they will soon become some wonderful sort of moth or butterfly. I hope I get points for effort.
Sunday: 30 April 2006 @ 06:35:32
Wayne - email - url
Pablo - fig leaves, Puritans, Pilgrims, the ashes and sackcloth folks - they drive you nuts. As for points, well, you’re one of those people that I automatically give points to every day! I have them here, somewhere.
I’ll bet you could figure out “greenwood”. It’s as simple as it sounds.
Sunday: 30 April 2006 @ 06:44:32
pablo - email - url
Or I could look it up on the internet, which I did, but that made providing the answer so easy that I didn’t bother.
Sunday: 30 April 2006 @ 07:24:34
Wayne - email - url
Pablo - your post of yesterday struck me as being a sort of no-holds-barred celebration of greenwood!
Sunday: 30 April 2006 @ 07:27:28
bev - email - url
Wayne - Well, I’ve never seen that species as I’m just a little to the north of the edge of its range, but I figured it must be a Swallowtail butterfly of some kind due to the ‘tentacles’ up front. Last autumn, while looking at a Black Swallowtail caterpillar, it flashed a set and waved them about when alarmed. Anyhow, I did have to look at “Caterpillars of Eastern North America” by David L. Wagner to be sure, but I’d say they’re Pipevine Swallowtail caterpillars (wish we had some here!). Up in my region, “The Butterflies of Canada” by Layberry, Hall and Lafontaine says that they are rare in Canada and their recorded foodplant is Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia macrophylla) which has powerful toxic chemicals that are picked up by the larvae and also present in the adults.
As for greenwood, I’ve always just referred to that as the new growth on plants such as rosebushes – the new wood growing from last years old wood.
Sunday: 30 April 2006 @ 08:22:49
Wayne - email - url
Bev got it - Pipevine Swallowtails, Battus philenor. I planted the pipevine two years ago. Last year there was nothing; this year it’s covered by the caterpillars. I plan to plant white snakeroot all around this area. I’ve never seen a pipevine swallowtail butterfly - I’m really excited about it.
BTW, the caterpillars are perfectly harmless, despite all the wonderful tentacles and ornamentations. They feel a bit rubbery. Of course I let Glenn check this out first.
Bev’s right about greenwood too - something we’ve gone through already and she might just be experiencing. This disjunction might lead to another post - do we celebrate spring together at a single date, e.g., Beltane, or do we do it as it happens, wherever we are?
Sunday: 30 April 2006 @ 08:33:43
thunderdave - email - url
Wayne, Nice photos! Hey, FC had mentioned that you might be able to help me identify my tree. I posted some photos of it on my blog yesterday. Would you mind too much taking a look to see if you can help me? I would really appreciate it!
Sunday: 30 April 2006 @ 10:42:33
Wayne - email - url
Hi Dave - I posted a couple of suggestions on your website. There’s some folks here too who might have some ideas. We can take it from there!
Hey Dave - just saw your comment on my blog, and thanks to FC to directing you there.
I wonder if it could be hawthorne or, more likely, a crabapple? The timing seems right and the flowers look like some kind of Rose family - Rosaceae - the trees would fit into crabapple or, less likely, hawthorne.
Nice to see your site, too.
Sunday: 30 April 2006 @ 10:54:40
FloridaCracker - email - url
Great example of providing for wildlife and reaping the rewards...both you and the critter. Wasn’t moved to look up the species, ...I have Thingfish for that...but I thought swallow tail too. My passion flower vines are newly emerged and being hit hard by my favorite butterfly larvae...care to guess?
Dave of the mystery tree is my old college roommate and a champion beermeister/beer judge.
Sunday: 30 April 2006 @ 13:34:27
Wayne - email - url
FC - I was really pumped last week, thinking, maybe, maybe, and then yesterday *yes*!
I say either pearl crescent or gulf fritillary on your passion flower vines, with a preference to the former. What do you think?
Dave’s mystery tree really looks like it’s in the Rose family, but we’ll see! Was he the champion, or were you? Oh never mind, I know it was him 
Sunday: 30 April 2006 @ 13:38:21
FloridaCracker - email - url
AND THE WINNER IS....
gulf fritillary!
Way (ne) to go!
Sunday: 30 April 2006 @ 20:24:12
thingfish23 - email - url
Man - I knew that stuff. Bev stole my thunder.
I still love her though.
Monday: 1 May 2006 @ 15:21:38
Niches :: Where are they now? - url
[...] 12;rings.com @ 08:38:55 Less than three weeks ago, I posted about myriads of Pipevine Swallowtail caterpillars on the Pipevine. Now th [...]
Friday: 19 May 2006 @ 05:39:42
Burning Silo » Blog Archive » Circus of the Spineless - Edition #9 - url
[...] es, Wayne has given us a group of photos to examine, and then asked us for the identity of some very strange caterpillars. If you don’t like your mysteries spoiled, don’ [...]
Tuesday: 30 May 2006 @ 20:52:08
Lene - email - url
Hi Wayne,
Great looking caterpillars you’ve got there. I hadn’t heard of May Eve or an osmetrium (before seeing your post. Thanks for expanding my horizons.
Thursday: 1 June 2006 @ 08:37:53
Burning Silo » Blog Archive » go away and leave me alone! - url
[...] s:
August 13th, 2006 at 10:56 am
Bev - there’s a photograph here of the Pipevine Swallowtail’s osmetrium. And here of the Giant Swall [...]
Sunday: 13 August 2006 @ 04:53:50