Monday, October 19, 2015

Caterpillars….10.18.15

I saw a Black Swallowtail flying around the yard one day so I bought a couple Parsley Plants for it to lay on. Only had one caterpillar so there must have been an egg on the plant when I bought them. They were small plants and it ate one almost completely up.

The second one had time to grow.

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We got back from our boat trip (www.alwayslingerawhile.blogspot.com)   and I spotted 3 caterpillars on it. Here are two.

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We also found several eggs…looks like I may have to buy more caterpillar food. I counted 10 just on this part of the plant.

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I have some sprouting in my milkweed bed but they are tiny.

I took this 2 days later….they are growing up.

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I have 2 Passion Flower plants for the Zebra Longwings and Gulf Fritillary's. This is a Longwing.

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She lays her eggs on the tips of the vine. …in large clusters. There are 4 0r 5 that have already hatched.

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This is what it looks like when they all hatch. I think there are at least 20.

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Even at this stage they are in a group. 009c

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This one is almost ready to find a place to become a chrysalis.

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Not a very good photo but this is what it will become.

008c (2)It is really  a beautiful Chrysalis.

This is the Gulf Fritillary.

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This is the underside…it’s beautiful…painted kind of like a clown face.

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She lays one egg on a leaf…sometimes 2 but never in a cluster like the Zebra Longwing. This one is almost grown.

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4 small ones.

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They hang in a “J” …then shed their skin and end up a Chrysalis.

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and this is their Chrysalis…similar to the Longwing’s

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I like having all the butterflies…but I love the caterpillars more.

I grow Tropical milkweed and Giant milkweed for the Monarchs and Queens….Passion Flower Vine for the Zebra Longwings and Gulf Fritillaries…and now I’ve added Parsley for the Black Swallowtails.

2 comments:

  1. So many babies! And you must offer the finest in dining around for them. It must be rewarding to see the adults with their colourful wings fluttering about and knowing that you helped their generations.

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  2. Hi Carol....I have been raising monarch butterflies outside in southern CA for several years but would like to build a butterfly house like your smaller version (after the birdhouse conversion). Can you give me any tips or advice for the construction and use of it?

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