Saga of the Flag Moth - Part 2

Description:

Update after 2 weeks: 10 Dec 12: I have been feeding them and watching them for 14 days now. They rarely disperse during the day, but feed continuously all bunched together. They feed head down only from the ends of the leaves, never from the sides. The leaves are long and narrow so they will occupy 2 or 3 leaves near to each other, feeding 2 or more per leaf on both sides. They have doubled their length to 20 mm and their hair is longer. They have also developed dark horizontal lines that are visible running through the orange bands. We have had several freezes at night now and there is no sign of the rest of their cohort on the bush in the field. They may have been eaten.

Habitat:

Now inside the house at about 15º to 18º C. Collecting fresh leaves from the host plant daily (Flat-top Fragrant or Grass-leaved Goldenrod, Euthamia graminifolia).

Notes:

Part I: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/165.... Part 3: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/169.... Part 4: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/170.... Part 5: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/170.... Part 6: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/214.... Part 7: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/214.... Part 8: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/215.... Part 9: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/212.... Part 10: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/221....