This is one of the reasons to bring them in and raise them inside. I first saw this cat on a vine and from a distance I thought it was a white flower, and when i got close I couldn't believe it. I had never seen anything like it.
The top of the cat.
A shot form the side.
The underside was the only place left.
Awwwww, poor caterpillar!
Dead man walking....or rather dead caterpillar crawling. Do hope you put it out of misery and all the parasites it had.
~ Cat
This message was edited Jun 23, 2009 3:58 PM
Yes I surely did, the poor baby was writhing in pain, it was incredible.
Aww, poor thing.
Any idea what the parasites are? I've never seen anything like this (knock on wod).
They are parasitic wasps, but don't know the scientific name.
Josephine.
Wasps, wow! They look like something out of a horror movie. I hope they don't find my butterfly garden!
Yes, I hope not too, they are very harmful to caterpillars.
http://entnem.ufl.edu/creatures/field/wasp_pupae.htm
Nice pics Josephine, here is the link to the parasites.
Thank you Peggy, I couldn't think if the name.
Some people might not mind if they kill the tomato hornworm, but we know that they kill the other cats as well, so we don't want them around our butterfly cats.
I had no idea they kill our other cats. Now, I sure don't feel as bad. Do they have a natural predator? I thought the birds might get them which is another reason I left them. I fugured nature would take its course.
I read somewhere that Sweet Alyssum attracted those wasps that attack the cats so to be on the safe side, I decided not to plant that little cutie with such a nice fragrance.
We have wasps around here anyway and I've only seen two butterflies the entire year. Maybe the wasps are a reason none are making their home around here? What can be done to discourage the wasps?
I've planted plants that have been suggested but so far, no butterflies. Maybe later in the season, I hope.
Mary
It may take the butterflies a while to find your garden, and this year they have been very scarce anyway, we are just beginning to get enough to notice.
Plant the larval food plants and lots of blooms for nectar and be patient, they will eventually show up.
As far as the wasps, I guess we can hope for is that they don't get them all.
Josephine.
