Another hiding along the main stem Southward (Two), while the other two resting Northward (Three and Four).
(Five) Cliffhanger towards East end. While the last, the pic below, busy muching on a stem (Six). They were spotted mid-Oct.
False eyes appeared two days later.
This first caterpillar turning yellow, a colour change process. They're voracious muncher when green then they'll go dormant in brown and black colours before turning into a pupa in next 2 or 3 days then morphed into a moth in 2 weeks time.
This 'cutie' has somehow managed to crawl 26 feet away from the Periwinkle shrub to look for a hiding place amongst the river-washed-pebbles. During this period, brown caterpillar does "electric-shock" movements when it sense danger or something touches it. A defense mechanism.
Worried over the chances being crushed or stepped on, we placed it in a clear glass bowl with a layer of old newspaper. 'Cutie' crawled and nestled underneath the paper.
The rest? Well, they seem to have disappeared from the Periwinkle without a sight.
'Cutie' successfully morphed at night. Moth emerged from its pupa.
My DH ever concerned over it final survival, he soaked cotton pad with honey for 'cutie' to sip and energise. We'll never know if it enjoys the sweetness because its' movement is soooo slow.
The next morning, 'cutie' left us. DH made sure if surrounding was tampered by predators or pests, but none. So we assume it has successfully taken its first flight to freedom :)
Happy November 'Cutie'.
2 comments:
Congratulations is getting them into a beautiful moth.
Never seen one like that, so batik like wings. Im sure it must be breath-taking to see them coming to moths.
I am fascinated to see them transform into a moth. I wish i can also get them to emerge, we tried several times getting pupa of lots of butterflies to see how they look like as adults but we failed. Sometimes they are eaten by ants before emerging or sometimes they went out without us seeing them. I am amazed it just stayed there in your case not leaving soon or eaten by other insects. It looks like army fatigue uniform, isn't it a Sphinx moth?
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