Spicebush Swallowtails

[Richard Mohr]

Last summer I gathered eggs and raised Spicebush Swallowtails. Some of the eggs came from my bush at home and some from the bushes at the Trumbull Nature Center.They wintered over in my garage and this weekend the butterflies have been emerging from their chrysalids.This last Saturday(5/23) I released one in my yard and went off to work in the NC butterfly garden from about 8:30 til 1:00.I carried my container of chrysalids with me .I released the first butterfly at the Center around 9:30.I moved the next one out of the container perhaps at 11:00 and the last  around 12:00. Each time I placed them on the spicebush tree (hoping  they had a memory for this their most important home for their caterpillars) One of them spent a lot of time in the garden feeding on the blooming catmint and "checking out"the spicebush. Back and forth,back and forth.Because she was so "attracted" to the spicebush I began to watch her more carefully never thinking that she
 was laying eggs. Sure enough by the time I left at one o'clock,I counted 7 eggs ! Since I can't tell the gender of these butterflies,here are my questions...Did they mate in this short time? or was I seeing a resident butterfly who just happened by? I know there is no answer but I was amazed to see the egg laying process take place so quickly after releasing the three whose wings were barely dry! Life begins in the garden and it's a treat to be there to see it1 Fluttering by Ruthie
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