I found this cat on a Giant Ragweed, Ambrosia trifida of all things, I didn't know till now that they are a butterfly's host. Of course they are of the sunflower family so it makes sense.
Does anyone know who he is? I have looked and didn't find anything close enough.
Josephine.
Josephine, looks like a Bordered Patch, cool if it is!
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.duke.edu/~jspippen/butterflies/caterpillar041015-702santaanaz.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.duke.edu/~jspippen/butterflies/texasbrushfoots1.htm&h=149&w=400&sz=22&hl=en&start=0&um=1&tbnid=kEB1J60vaU4iBM:&tbnh=46&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbordered%2Bpatch%2Bcaterpillar%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DDNUS,DNUS:2006-36,DNUS:en%26sa%3DN
This message was edited Aug 1, 2007 3:27 PM
Thank you very much, I thought that it might be, can you imagine on ragweed?
Josephine.
I guess he doesn't have allergies. lol
I have 4 of these guys and two already made crysalids. I do think it is a Bordered Patch as I have seen them around my garden. The caterpilars in last instar just rest on top of leaves of ragweed! That's where I picked them :). Wasn't yet able to find any young cats or eggs.
I have a "ragweed forest" to the back of my property which I do not mow - too many trees. But we have a few paths which my brother mows so we can walk there and so I can snoop around for my cats and butterflies LOL.
I wondered what ragweed was good for. I'll have to take a walk this afternoon to see what I can see.
It was a Bordered Patch, really beautiful, it was in the crysalid only 1 week and the crysalid was tiny. I will put up a picture later, when I have a chance.
Josephine.
Well, here is my lovely Bordered Patch as promised, this once inside the cage.
And this one outside after we released it. Sooo beautiful.
So lovely! Haven't seen any of the cats this year.
Hi Linda, I was thrilled with it. Wish I could raise more.
I was lucky to witness a female BP laying eggs on one of my sunflowers yesterday! She would just take forever! I was wondering what does it take to lay an egg or two...?? Well, when she was done I went to see what eggs look like. It appears she laid about 20-30 eggs at a time (if not more) - that's why she was hanging out on that leaf for so long! :)
But I also saw her on the leaf next to the first one and I saw the eggs at first. But barely 5 minutes later when I went to check on them they were gone - all of them! Not a sign they were there!! Good thing I picked the first bunch! I'll share the pics if they hatch.
I do have ants raising aphids on my sunflowers so I am suspecting the ants got to the eggs but within a few minutes???. Did anyone have ants stealing butterfly eggs?
Frostweed, Very Cool!!!!! I am running to the butterflies & moths website right now to see if they live in Indiana!
