Dogface Butterflies and Greenhouse Notes

It's still too hot to start bringing plants into the greenhouse even though I left some tough tropicals in there. The pot of donkey tail Sedum rootlings got too wet during the rainy spell and some of them died. I noticed the bigger plant that I repotted had leaves falling off. Then I noticed the Cat loving on it and brittle leaves just raining down.

On to the Dogface Butterflies. It is impossible, almost, to get a picture of a Dogface Sulphur with widespread wings. I found one dead on the driveway and brought him inside so you can see how they look. The darker edge of the wings outline what sometimes resembles a poodle's face in profile, including the dark spot for the eye.

When the sun is behind one of the butterflies,

the dogface outline is seen, otherwise  like above.

Zerene cesonia host plant is legumes.

 

They just wouldn't be still for pics, so I made a very short video of them nectaring on Duranta.

Dogface Sulphurs from Jean Campbell on Vimeo.

Toads in Flower Pots and Heirloom Tomatoes

'Delmar' dug in in a pot where I put Duranta cuttings to root.

Only 2 of 5 rooted. I think Delmar may be the reason for failure.

He sits in this same position for days. I wonder how many fruit flies he catches?

 

I first noticed Delmar sitting in a big clay pot where I'd put a dozen or more little succulent leaves off the Burro Tail Sedum I bought. They have teeny leaves formng on one end, pinhead sized. There sat Delmar. No insects about, but the pot of soil with vermiculite on the top must have been cool  

or Kewl, to Delmar. I moved that pot out of his reach and he set up housekeeping in the Duranta pot.

 

Elsewhere in the greenhouse:

 

Mixed success with rooting Iberis.

 

I planted tomato seeds this week.

 

These are seeds I won in an online contest by Dirt du Jour blog.

They are from TomatoFest and are the collection known as 'Gary's Favorite'

-- Gary being Gary Ibsen of TomatoFest.

 

Each packet has about 30 seeds. I planted a few of each. They have such glamourous names as 'Green Zebra' and 'Dagma's Perfection and 'Kellogg's Breakfast' and 'Black Krim.' All heirloom tomatoes.

 

Gary, and Dagma Lacey, are currently active in supporting numerous urban, school and community gardens world-wide with their TomatoFest Tomato Seed Donations Program in their effort to support bio-diversity, ensure that heirloom tomato varieties will be preserved, and to feed those in need.

 

I also planted seeds of Candlesticks (Cassia alata).  There is one plant up of Pride of Barbados.

Pride of Barbados outside have new foliage coming from roots, only 3 have no growth. Yet.

 

Seed trays are up high where Delmar can't hop. Any insects will be taken care of by the anoles that frequent that bench.