Looky Looky!

Yesterday, as I was cleaning off my car in swirling snow flurries, I found this a frozen caterpillar on our driveway!!! We've had a beautiful, warm fall, so they must be confused. A few weeks ago, I had seen more of these, as well as some of our overwintering Wooly Bear caterpillars that were crawling around! --LKR

Eastern Black Swallowtail Larvae

Today, I found 14 Eastern Black Swallowtail larvae on my Rue!!!  They are ranging from 1st to 5th instars.  Simply put, they are from newly hatched to pre-pupae caterpillars. They are both in dark and light forms.

--LKR

Pereserverance Pays Off!

Yesterday, I made it a point to seek out and rescue Monarch eggs and cats before the expected rains. One open field I normally find them in had turned up dozens of eaten eggs by an abundance of lacewings in that location. Unwilling to allow this to discourage my efforts, I headed off to the woods with my trusty pooch. After two hours of searching, we returned home with 33 eggs and four 1st and 2nd instar cats. Not bad!!!Often, once buds appear on milkweed plants, female Monarchs will lay their eggs on these. Ditto once pods begin to form. Both provide larvae with plenty of food for their ravenous appetites. One difficulty with the pods and buds is that very young cats are difficult to find! --LKR

Bindweed Moth Caterpillars

I'm not sure which moth caterpillar this is, but I found them irresistible!

While weeding, I found these adorable, fuzzy moth caterpillars. Their host plant is bindweed, so there is some purpose for leaving some for these critters, although this vine is terribly invasive.I remember being astonished as one of these cats turned brown, then quickly spun a cocoon. I later found brown ones like these in the same spot in my garden, also on bindweed. I'm not 100% positive..., but these two fuzzy cats may be the same. Variations in same species caterpillars can be quite striking. I'm posting this to 1) see if anyone knows for sure, or 2) check in 2009 if this proves true!Here's one cocoon that's spun with silk and the hairs from the caterpillar's body.Voila!!! Isn't this a beautiful little moth? --LKR

Harlequin Moth Caterpillars

I just love these colorful little caterpillars! I find them almost every year as I'm searching for Monarch eggs and larvae, or gathering Milkweed to feed my babies.

These beautiful Harlequin moth caterpillars are communal feeders, whose eggs have been laid in large masses under a leaf of the Milkweed plant. They quickly skeletonize one leaf at a time and compete for food with the Monarch larvae.

Once they get to be about this size, they split up, feeding on nearby Milkweed plants. When they've matured, they crawl off their host plant. After finding a suitable spot (whatever that might be to a little caterpillar!) they begin spinning their cocoons along with surrounding debris and the hairs off their bodies. If they get loose in our house, they use dog fur!

Once they emerge as moths, they are known as the Milkweed Tiger Moth. We do not release any of these moths into the wild, but allow them live out their lives, destroying any eggs they may have laid. --LKR

Molting Monarchs

Have you ever watched a caterpillar molt or shed its skin? It's really cool! These are monarch caterpillars, but all species of butterfly and moth larvae do this at least five times.

First they spin a silken pad under themselves.Then, in muscular movements, after they've pumped enough fluid between the old and new skin, they wriggle out, head first.The head capsule soon falls off (the caterpillar often has to rub or knock it off), revealing a lighter face that will darken within a couple of hours. Usually, after it's "rested", the caterpillar will turn around and eat its old skin. Not all species do this, and not all species that usually do this will eat their skin every time.

The last time they molt, the pupa is revealed. Most moths, and only a few butterflies, will first spin a cocoon, pupating shortly after the cocoon has been constructed.

It's truly fascinating to watch! --LKR

Monarch Eggs and Caterpillars

This morning, I found a creamy white colored monarch egg under one of the leaves of a small milkweed plant's leaf. Hearing of possible drenching rains in the forecast for later on, today, I headed over to the fields down our street on a mission to save other monarchs!!!

My youngest daughter came along to help gather up more. Pictured above are the 19 eggs we found in about an hour. We also found 15 very young caterpillars. At the beginning of the summer months, I used to check our milkweed garden two to three times a day for newly laid eggs. If I didn't get them first, the ants and spider mites often did!

These are first instar caterpillars. An instar is the period between molts. Caterpillars molt, or shed their skin, several times as they grow, just like a snake does.

These two larvae hatched a few days apart from each other. These two larvae are getting ready to shed their skin.

Smaller larvae are often found hidden among the newer, tightly packed leaves at the top of the milkweed.

This is how we've raised most species of butterflies for well over a decade with great success. (This method should not be used for swallowtails.) Eggs, as well as the first two instars of a caterpillar's life, need more humidity or they often quickly dry up and die. However third, fourth, and fifth instar larvae easily pick up diseases and die if kept in this much humidity.
--LKR

Tent Caterpillars

Isn't this lovely?
As a child, tent caterpillars were among one of my favorites. I found, and still find, this colorful, fuzzy, predominantly iridescent blue caterpillar irresistible!

Driving six hours across the state of Pennsylvania, one year, was an eerie sight. Many small, leafless, lifeless looking trees had several of the familiar silken tent structures hanging in them. In large numbers, tent caterpillars can defoliate small trees, but rarely kill them unless these have already been compromised in other ways like having been through a drought or repeated defoliation.

This year, I brought in two small nests taken off of our sand cherry tree to raise indoors. The larvae have been fed sucker shoots growing from the bottom of this tree, so it's no great loss. This tree was in no danger of being defoliated. I brought these caterpillars in for several reasons, one being to see how many actually make it to adulthood (the moth stage). Many may be parasitized since they've spent most of their larval lives in the wild.

I must stress that I do not ever release insects considered pests back out into the wild. Instead, I allow them to grow, mature, and reach adulthood to observe them, but destroy any eggs that are laid.
--LKR

Wooly Bears!!!

Wooly Bear caterpillars are known as Isabella Tiger moths once they emerge from their chysalis and are winged creatures. Wooly Bears, frequently found crossing roads in the fall, are the adored fuzzy black, reddish brown black striped caterpillars that children of all ages love to find.

Today, my hubby was kind enough to stop the car so I could rescue two out of three I saw crossing the road. Unfortunately, the third one met its destiny on his quest to reach the other side of the road... .

As a life-long observer and seeker, I've only found one tiny one in my entire life. He was nibbling on a stinging nettle leaf as I was looking for Red Admiral butterfly eggs. Dandelion and plantain leaves are also a Wooly Bear's host plants.

It was really fun watching him grow! Unfortunately, like every other Tiger Moth caterpillar (there are lots of species of them) I've ever brought in to observe, I was rewarded with a big, ugly parasitic wasp. When you're anxiously awaiting the emergence of your winged beauty and are greeted with something as ugly as this, it's a great disappointment! --LKR

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth

This little hummingbird clearwing moth has been feasting on our flowers. They just love our phlox and monarda (aka: bee balm, oswego tea, bergamot). I'm always so thrilled to see them!

Their larvae (caterpillars) feed on host plants such as cherry and plum trees, honeysuckle, hawthorns, snowberry, and cranberry bushes. --LKR