[QUOTE=Vespertino;541851]I guess I got lucky! I also planted some milkweed in the front, maybe that will be a peace offering this year for the caterpillars.[/QUOTE]

There is one species of butterfly that eats these vines and nothing else.
If they see your vines you are doomed.
It may be because you are so far north they dont come that far.
[URL="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiHqP_l58HLAhUMRyYKHS2uBLIQFggzMAY&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FGulf_fritillary&usg=AFQjCNGtHa6pOYRKS7T15XQCI4W6QZA34w&bvm=bv.116636494,d.eWE"]https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiHqP_l58HLAhUMRyYKHS2uBLIQFggzMAY&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FGulf_fritillary&usg=AFQjCNGtHa6pOYRKS7T15XQCI4W6QZA34w&bvm=bv.116636494,d.eWE[/URL]

[QUOTE=Worth1;541855]There is one species of butterfly that eats these vines and nothing else.
If they see your vines you are doomed.
It may be because you are so far north they dont come that far.
[URL]https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiHqP_l58HLAhUMRyYKHS2uBLIQFggzMAY&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FGulf_fritillary&usg=AFQjCNGtHa6pOYRKS7T15XQCI4W6QZA34w&bvm=bv.116636494,d.eWE[/URL][/QUOTE]

I guess I dodged a bullet there. Then again what I lack in those butterfly caterpillars I more than make up for in green army cutworms. I had issues with those, the Mantids didn't like to eat 'em.

[QUOTE=Vespertino;541856]I guess I dodged a bullet there. Then again what I lack in those butterfly caterpillars I more than make up for in green army cutworms. I had issues with those, the Mantids didn't like to eat 'em.[/QUOTE]

Speaking of mantids yesterday was a good reason for me not cutting and pruning in the fall.
I found some eggs on one of my ornamental limbs up front not hatched out yet.
I try to wait till they have hatched out before I cut back anything and look at every limb before I cut.
Seems silly but I go to the extremes not to hurt the good critters.:)

Worth

Those look so nice, Kelly. Especially the one with orange flowers.

I can only grow them indoor here in Zone 4a... as we do of several Passiflora varieties from Australia (got the seeds from Rose-Mary Lacherez in 2000s)...

[QUOTE=TexasTycoon;539194]Passionflower is also super beautiful and grows quickly. It does well in our climate, but you'll see it popping up everywhere once it fruits because birds and critters eat the fruit and "deposit" seeds all over your yard. :lol: There's a ton of different varieties, all their flowers are so unique and nice to look at:

[IMG]http://www.rarexoticseeds.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/small_image/600x600/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/p/a/passiflora-caerulea.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://www.gardenvines.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/p/a/passiflora_anastasia_2_.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0204/5602/products/P._Precioso_HW.jpg?v=1371191292[/IMG]

[IMG]http://www.gardenvines.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/800x600/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/p/a/passiflora-sunburst.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Worth1;541861]Speaking of mantids yesterday was a good reason for me not cutting and pruning in the fall.
I found some eggs on one of my ornamental limbs up front not hatched out yet.
I try to wait till they have hatched out before I cut back anything and look at every limb before I cut.
Seems silly but I go to the extremes not to hurt the good critters.:)

Worth[/QUOTE]

If you found a shrub branch with a mantis ootheca on it you can cut the twig (leave a few inches of twig attached on either side of the ooth) that the ootheca is on to move it and tie it to a safer place to hatch.