Either that, or he wasn't as cold as he thought! I'm sure the flash is the problem, but it is funny.
On the back deck. A question mark butterfly caterpillar. I have two of them on the hops vine. You can see the hops flower in the 2nd photo.
I've brought them into an old aquarium to see if I can watch them. My regional BAMONA specialist tells me it's good to bring them in and protect them to ensure they do their metamorphosis.
I just checked this morning, and they have begun the metamorphosis process! Both of them!
This one is behind the blue chair in the photo, above. You'd laugh, as I sat there on the sidewalk, carefully, manually adjusting the focus. I checked them on my laptop, and NONE were in focus. I went back out, and did automatic. Voila!
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| It'll be here 10 - 14 days! |
P.S. She is still laying eggs.
Next job will be to tag them. I have 25 tags. They darken just before emerging. We shall see if I can tag any.
They keep coming and coming! I often do a double take as I walk by. Below, two caterpillars, looking like one!
Notice the variation in colour?! Isn't that fun!
How many can you see on this plant? It's been the favourite of one egg-laying butterfly. The plant is nearly stripped. I think I've rehomed 3 or 4 to other plants.
7 comments:
This is so nice to watch.
Hari OM
this IS exciting! YAM xx
I love that last day or so, so transparent you can see the orange wings, then carefully it opens and the wings flutter to dry off. Nature's miracle of beauty.
You are the caterpillar lady! So many Monarchs that you have helped along!
He might not like the camera, but Hooper is quite photogenic!
It is endlessly fascinating to watch the life cycle of butterflies.
When I had my house in the country there was a huge field of milkweed abutting our property. For a while there was a dramatic decrease in the monarch. Recently I drove by the old house and that field has entirely turned to white pine growth. i know change is inevitable, but it made me sad for the butterflies.
You have found some very interesting critters at your place. You also know a thing or two about them.
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