Butterflies are not the first thing we think about in cooler months, but they are still in our yards and neighborhoods, even if we don't see them. This issue we will look farther into the lives of butterflies in fall and winter.

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On warm winter days, butterflies are seen flying about. What do they eat? Flowers are nearly non-existent in many areas! What do butterflies eat besides flower nectar? A visit to a county dumpsite often reveals part of the answer to that question. Red Admirals feast at the local county dumps on fluid which has seeped and dripped from containers. From decaying fruit to manure to dead animals, butterflies eat a variety of foods.

But the trees they eat drop their leaves in the winter! What happens to the caterpillars tucked snugly in leaves? What fun! My Mother sewed clothes for us kids as we were growing up. And spiders sew webs. What a neat discovery that some caterpillars actually sew their winter home to a twig. With ?spinnerets? they attach the leaves with lots of threads. We photographed some of their winter homes and winter forms as well as their lifecycle. Their winter homes (hibernaculums) stay on the tree all winter. And note the photo of Tawny Emperor caterpillars, over 150 on one leaf! These caterpillars are social critters, staying together and eating together for the first few instars.

What do caterpillars see? Or perhaps more interesting, what do they see with? Many species have fake eyes, butterflies and moths. What do they look like? What are they? Did you know that Tiger Swallowtails have blue eyes? The fake 'eyes' of a Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar bulge out as if they were eyeballs. This is evident when viewed from the front of the caterpillar. Check out the photo of it and note in the enlarged photo that the real head is heart shaped when viewed from the front. These caterpillars have real eyes which see only light and dark. Check out the real eyes of a Monarch and a Tiger Swallowtail caterpillar.

Butterflies spend weeks drinking nectar and other fluids. The fact that the amount they drink far exceeds what their bodies can hold isn?t something we think about but it?s a fact of life! Butterflies red red liquid, like Fierce Melon Gatorade, will pee bright red pee. This Pipevine Swallowtail was caught peeing on video! This photo was taken from the video ?Gardening for Butterflies With Edith?, sixty minutes of information about butterflies and how to grow a successful butterfly garden.

We will work with several formats for the newsletter until we find one that best suits our needs. Please be patient as we change from format to format! Thanks so much! Edith and Stephen (and Ester & Michelle)