New hatchling: Virginia Ctenucha

Virginia Ctenucha

I took down the plant cam, on it I spotted two chrysalis. I needed the stand for the Trailcam in the meadow. Taking a sharp knife, I took them off and popped them into a jar. The lid is a piece of netting. I didn't know what they were and wouldn't know until they hatched.

I see these furry-looking cocoons everywhere. My expert volunteer at BAMONA told me that it's great bringing in a chrysalis, as it ensure the critter is protected and will hatch. He was right!

Sure enough, a beautiful moth, with an orange head and flabellate (feathery) antennae, blue marking and a blue thorax. My book tells me that black and blue indicates to birds that they are bitter-tasting and/or poisonous. Intriguing!

The book author also says that it's a bit silly giving a common name (Virginia Ctenucha) a derivation of the latin name (Ctenucha Virginica), as there is difficulty pronouncing it. TEN-OOCHA amongst regular peeps, like me!

A bit tricky to photograph, I see them flying but, as with moths and butterflies, they seldom land and sit for me. This one must just have hatched. Even so, my photos aren't great, but it answers a question for me. I've been waiting for #2 to hatch, but it must have been laid at a different time!