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Papilio trolius
Later instar of Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar. The first photo is of the home the caterpillar has made by folding itself into the spicebush leaf. The second photo shows the caterpillar inside the leaf.
Spicebush tree/plant, eastern North America (just outside of Philadelphia in a suburban container garden).
Spotted on Jun 25, 2012
Submitted on Jun 27, 2012
8 Comments
thanks so much el2773.laly--glad you liked it!
Lastly J, since you're working on expanding your base in lepidoptera, if you want to look at my photos on BugGuide, you can see the evolution of an obsession with moths, which started from my first moth photo of Eacles imperialis and expanded exponentially from there. You should see me when I'm in Mexico...every morning is Christmas as I run through the hotel grounds hunting moths at pre-dawn/dawn.
http://bugguide.net/bgimage/user/12612
or you can look through my fb pix should you choose to friend me there.
that is a really cool animal!!!!!!!! nice pic
swallowtails here
http://bugguide.net/node/view/296566
and here
http://bugguide.net/node/view/145829
and here
http://bugguide.net/node/view/145830
and here's the one that came from the above chrysalis (the brown one)
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1...
hornworms here
http://bugguide.net/node/view/299818
BTW, I actually have a series of photos documenting egg to larvae to pupation for black swallowtails a few years ago... and did same for tobacco hornworm except didn't get to see pupation, as when I went inside my home to get netting, came back, and I think the birds or assassin bugs made a meal of my tiny hornworms.
This is a residence while a caterpillar and it seems to pick a new leaf to do this with after each molt to the next instar...where it went to pupate, I couldn't tell you but it's NOT on the plant. Next year, I plan to cover the plants after the eggs are laid, 1) to keep them safe, and 2) to get to see them pupate.
Awesome! Is the home it made actually a residence, or does it make this for pupation?