Don't believe the lie about the filing cabinets... And I prefer to call it extreme curiosity, but thanks for the shout-out, Kett, if that's what that was. ;) Anyway, I've got a crazy caterpillar story: I was out in our new Maine East vegetable garden with Mr. PappaG and Mr.Skelton Friday looking for some healthy treats to bring home for the weekend. Skelton informed us that the Morning Glories were choking the broccoli, so when I pulled the heap of offenders out this nice, plump guy/gal (see pic below) was revealed, munching on fennel. Nice colors, huh? Black Swallowtail Butterfly - they're pretty abundant in North America. They eat plants in the carrot family (dill, fennel parsley, Queen Anne's Lace, etc.)
Determined to protect him from harm and not to miss the prepupal ritual and transformation, I placed him in the tank with the Monarch chrysalis and brought him home for the weekend. On the ride home I got a little anxious as I saw him approach the Monarch cocoon. The tank can't be opened now due to the precarious position of the Monarch. After yelling and stressing (even some tapping on the tank at stoplights) awaiting the impending sabotage or who knows what, then brainstorming about who to pull over and call for advice, I realized it was really just caterpillar curiosity. (?) Calm down... He moved on.
I got him home and watched as he spun a silken attachment pad on the side of the tank then kept reinforcing a "girdle" strand that would hold his upper body as he leaned back.
So exciting to watch, but then I MISSED the best part! Sitting on the couch only six feet away but immersed online, I missed the whole transformation. To the left you see the skin he shed and the fresh chrysalis still suspended by the girdle. What a drag - below is what I suppose it must have looked like (mute the video - the fake sloppy shedding sounds are gross):
This species doesn't migrate like the Monarch. They spend all Winter in their cocoon, believe it or don't. The last generation of the year emerges in August or September, so this one could become a butterfly in a week or stay put for the next seven months. I guess we'll wait and see! You can actually put them in the refrigerator with a damp cloth until April. Wish I would've known and I'd have put him in a container 1/50th the size. Ah, well - we'll find a nice safe spot for him outside.
And the Monarch's light green chrysalis with shiny gold rim is now thinning enough to see the black wings inside. I'm guessing we'll be setting him free tomorrow afternoon. Would that there were an inexpensive remote-sensing mini-camera to strap to his back... !
Great photo of the caterpillar! Thanks for providing this blog! It's interesting to read.
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