December 2008 The Shoreline Page 9
Magnificent Longwings
By Phyllis Makuck
Pine Knoll Shores Garden Club
By Clare Winslow
In past years when our eleagnus
bush exploded with monarchs or when
swallowtails graced the parsley, I would
"ooh" and "ah" over butterflies, but this is
the year of longwings—Zebra Longwings,
to be precise. They have generated
expressions of admiration throughout
our neighborhood.
These magnificent butterflies may have
been here all summer, but I first noticed
them at the end of August. I stopped
to watch a fritillary hover over lantana
blooms when another butterfly I had
never seen before landed next to it. Black
with bold yellow stripes, this butterfly
has wings that are longer and narrower
than the wings of most butterflies. It is
about three inches long.
Seeing Zebra Longwings in Pine Knoll
Shores is unusual. The National Audubon
Society Field Guide to North American
Butterflies documents their range as being
"...from Texas to South Carolina, south
through West Indies and Latin America,
wandering to S. California, Great Basin,
Colorado, and Great Plains." The Zebra
Longwing is common year-round in
Florida, where it is the official state
butterfly.
Passion vines are the most common
hosts for its tiny yellow eggs and for
emerging larvae, which are also yellow
initially. The larvae molt several times,
becoming white caterpillars with black
spines. The final molt produces a chrysalis
in which a butterfly forms. Passion vine
contains a toxin that caterpillars ingest,
making the adult butterfly poisonous
(not good for cats who sometimes stalk
butterflies).
In its butterfly stage. Zebra Longwings
are attracted to a variety of flowers—
especially those in the verbena family,
which includes lantana. I have also seen
them on oleander. They feed on pollen
as well as nectar. When both are part
of the diet, a Zebra Longwing can live
several months.
Though I haven't seen more than three
or four Longwings at a time, reports
indicate they roost together in large
groups on tree limbs.
It may not be warm enough for them to
stay here year-round, but I'm hoping we
haven't seen the last of them.
The November 12 meeting of Pine Knoll
Shores Garden Club was chock full of
plans, schedules, demonstrations and
suggestions pertaining to the celebration
of the upcoming holidays. Chairman
Cherie Range informed members about
plans to participate in the Pine Knoll
Shores Christmas parade December 6. A
holly and poinsettia decorated truck and
golf cart will carry a group of garden club
gremlins along the parade route.
President Carol McVitty reminded
members that the December 10 club
meeting will be a holiday luncheon to be
held at her home at 11:30 a.m. At this time
a gift will be given to Caroline's House
by the garden club. She also pointed out
that the club's handmade Christmas shell
ornaments are still on display in the library
and for sale.
Sheryl Woodbury, Donna Belanger and
Lois Jean O'Keefe shared their talents
for making wreaths and Christmas trees
from natural grape vine material and also
showed a method of beautifying holiday
table settings. Sheryl started with a
randomly gathered armful of grapevines
and shaped the stubborn vines into a 20
inch circle. After circling 10 to 15 times,
a lovely base for a Christmas wreath
emerged. Sheryl suggested winding the
grape vine wreaths in the summertime
when their sap is still flowing and the
vines are more supple.
Donna used a medium sized pumpkin
instead of a vase for an arrangement of fall
flowers and leaves. A hole is poked in the
top of the pumpkin for each stem, and no
watering is needed because of the moist
pumpkin flesh. She also showed how she
creates name tags for the holiday table.
She starts with a folded four by four inch
piece of construction paper and places on
it a picture of the special holiday theme
with a rubber stamp infused with several
colors, leaving space for the names on the
card. She even demonstrated a special
method of making the picture stand up
above the paper fold.
Lois Jean showed a collection of grape
vine wreaths in sizes ranging from 15 to
22 inches, all ready for adding holiday
embellishments like holly, poinsettias,
tinsel, and maybe even Christmas balls,
bows or angels. She showed a beautifully
decorated 36 inch high Christmas tree and
explained how she made it
With all the emphasis on Christmas,
Thanksgiving wasn't forgotten. A tasty
repast was arranged by Lois Strube,
Mary Heim, and Olga Welsh. The news
of several sightings by members of a wild
turkey in Pine Knoll Shores in the last
few weeks brought Thanksgiving even
closer! Every second Wednesday of the
month the garden club meets at town
hall at 9:30 a.m. Guests and visitors are
always welcome.
Lois Jean O'Keefe demonstrates wreath making.