A few weeks ago I found this Tersa clinging to the penta plant I have on the deck. They are not easy to find usually, but this one was in plain sight. Had to take it in to keep it safe. I will be posting about 10 pics here, so if ya want to see them all in sucession, hang on for a few...I will say when it's the last one. What an amazing little hummer this is..
:-S Debnes
Here it is when I found it.. One day I had a penta, and before I knew it....poof! It had eaten it's cover to hide from me.
Here is when it went into caterpillar hospice...
Here after it morphed into it's chrysalis...
Now fast forward ... to September 8th... it had eclosed overnight, but I had to wait for daylight to get decent pics.
On Ben's finger
Profile shot
On my thumb.. Ben said it's eyes look green in the sunlight
Posterior view>
She was sitting on my thumb and her wings began to vibrate. She took off and landed in some grass. So we took her to the back of the garden where the pentas and b&b salvia are..
In a blur she emediately began digging through all the salvia blooms... A lot like a hummer.
Excuse these last few pics are a little blurry, but these tersas are very difficult to photograph while they are moving and nectaring like this>
Finally, the last one I could get before she hid for the day in the grasses and flowers back there. I have a feeling she might stay around close. Only coming out at dusk...pretty much.
It was very fun to document this moth, they are spectacular! They love pentas!
Debnes
Last pic of Tersa for today. :-S
Awesome!! She's gorgeous!
Congratulations Deb!!
I planted three different colors of pentas and one red salvia this season. They are doing rather well. They attract loads of bumblebees, honey bees, carpenter bees, skippers, my hummers and one clearwing. Does your moth travel this far north??
Big Congrats Deb!!!! They have eaten my 2 big pentas to nubs and never could find them. Leaves are growing back so they will survive for another round. I see the Tersa's all the time up on the front porch
Thanks Lily :-)
& Donna,
At least you know your pentas served to produce a few broods of them, sounds like. They are undescribabe, but we try the best we can using words, lol!
Funny you would ask Crystal, They aren't documented on this site's map for my county at all.
http://butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=3472 (Tersa Sphinx on butterfliesandmoths site)
(I'm in Tarrant Co. TX) Although they are sprinkled throughout the east and northeast. Surely you might plant a lot of pentas next year and get some. Your chances are as good as mine were.-).
In the north they only produce one brood a year, anytime between May - Oct.
They mostly come out at night, and sleep during the day, so I think a lot more people have them, they just don't ever see them, unless they are hanging out on your porch like Donna, lol.
If someone wants to raise one or 2, Just plant about 6 or more plants out in the garden, and keep pots of pentas on a porch or patio. They inevidably will lay eggs on the porch plants if they are around. I found this method by accident, but it worked like a charm. They are very easy to care for with new clean potting soil and a gladware container with holes in the bottom end for drainage. I rigged mine to sit up on it's side so taller cuttings would fit.
This Tersa was fairly big when I found her, but all I did was cut a nice 8" piece of penta with blooms and good foliage. Taking them from the back beds and replace it in the cage every day after being eaten down to a nub. When replacing the cutting I fluffed the soil around and sprinkle with fresh water (if too dry), before putting in new piece. Fluffing helped prevent mold or bacteria build up. This one made her chrysalis right on top of the dirt, but normally they wallow deeper inside the leaf litter. Guess thats why they are so hard to find.
I might have explained this information before, but thought it should be entered inside this thread too.
debnes
Thanks for the info Deb. I am working on my list of plants for next year's container garden and pentas, lantana, and PURPLE (not red) passion vine are at the top of my list. :)) Oh along with my butterfly bushes, zinnias, a few dahlias, and ummm... let's see, verbena, butterfly weed, (got a few pods this year- woo hoo!!), milkweed, goodness, I need a larger deck!! LOL!! Thanks again!!
Crystall
Pretty baby Debnes!! Sweet pics on Ben and your fingers. You need to report the siting so they can document them in Tarrant Co.
Great job!
Thank you Sheila!
I sent them an email.....
;-)
Just beautiful! Those Tersas are so sleek and hawk-like!
Deb!!!! That is a great photo doc of its life cycle. They are so sleek and look like stealth bombers :o)
~ Cat
I have to share my photo. Just found this guy in my enclosed porch. Picked him up to set him free and he peed on me!!! Don't know who was more surprised, him or me. Anyway wish I had had a setup so I could have kept him. Been meaning too just haven't had the time to devote to it right now. I planted my first Penta this year. Maybe he'll find it and I'll see him/her again.
Melanie
How funny Mel! LOL
Not everyone has the time to raise them, but you are doing great by planting pentas. Most of these hide so well, they just multiply without any help from us anyway. Still very few compared to many other more prolific species. Only 1 brood in the North, and 2 in FL a year.
debnes
Great series of pictures! They are so pretty and sleek.
Melanie - I'm cracking up!
