Just found this tiny cat on my black cherry! VERY interesting! Looks kind of like a TST (Tiger Swallowtail), doesn't it? And I found one even tinier on another black cherry. Off to look for more. I have SO many host plants to check and some are very tall...can only check the lower branches of those! Wishing for wings!
So far I've found 3 that look like TSTs and one that's definitely a GST...the GST and the largest of the other cats were on a neighbor's large Hop Tree. There's other cats on the cherry trees and the Texas Ash trees...I can't remember what they're called, but they are not BF cats. I'll continue looking tomorrow.
I've got my "cat nursery" set up good now. Just had 10 Monarch cats, so I kept them in the bedroom. But I now have added one GST and 6 tiger-looking cats, so I've got the containers on a shelf in the living room. I did find one TST cat on an ash tree, but mostly it's just hop tree and black cherry so far. Guess cat season has REALLY started now! The other day I spotted an RSP and a few days before there was a PVST checking things out. I've got to check for those also.
One of the larger of them. It could be a two-tailed tiger, for all I know...being on hop tree leaves. I don't remember how to tell the difference on the small cats!
The other larger cat on hop tree leaf. Will have to wait to see which kind.
Linda, since you haven't gotten any response I just wanted to say that I'm interested and paying attention. The cat looks like the Giant ST I had. We don't get the two-tailed tigers here so I can't help you there. Can't wait to see its progress - keep us posted!
Melanie
I'm anxiously waiting too! I haven't seen any Two tailed Tigers here but think they are beautiful. Keep us posted!
Oh, that gave me an idea. Here's the tiny GST cat:
And here's a tiny TST or ? cat on black cherry. The GST doesn't use black cherry...so that was hop tree it was on. Don't they look different?
Yes, please post more pictures. I haven't learned how to identify the cats yet.....
Elaine
One of the two larger cats above changed color. It turned green with eye-spots and now I know it's a two-tailed tiger (I can tell by the eye-spots)...probably the other larger one is also, since both were about the same size and both were found on the Hop Tree. Will get a picture of it tomorrow.
My green cat...now it's started eating again. The other larger cat is changing colors now also.
And the second two-tailed tiger....it seems a bit unsure what to do now....so EAT, already!
And the first one has used silk to web all these leaves together. I think they feel more secure that way. I'm waiting on one more cat that looks like it's changing color a bit.
Linda, those pics. of your precious cats. are way too cool!!!!
Kim
Here we go again. This time it's a nice, green TST cat that changed from its bird dropping phase! Found on the black cherry leaves.
Oh Linda, he's just so dang cute!
I wish you could hug caterpillars. : )
Haha, me too! He is huggably cute!
I know! They are so sweet! Why else would I go out in the woods and try to search for them? It's not easy!
All the other smaller cats are TSTs also. Skinny...they need to fatten up!
Like their big brother or sister TST cat.
And the two-tailed tiger cats are getting so big! Here's one:
And the other TTST cat, so fat!
He's adorable!!!
Oh, yes....and there's the GST cat also!
Guess it's time for the two-tailed tiger cats. One is changing color and is dumping contents of its gut. Probably won't be long on the other one...that one seems restless.
BTW, just as my last Monarch cat is pupating, a couple of chrysalises are filling in, should emerge tonight or tomorrow.
Ahhh, the gut purge. It's a good thing the caterpillars turn into something so pretty!
Yes...I took that cute cat out to take its picture and it took that opportunity to dump on my hand. Not fun, but I forgave it!
Nice cat pics! Hope you are adding some to the bug files links so that it will help others identify them.
I had four Monarchs last month that was it for the migration I guess. It stopped as suddenly as it started. It turned off cold for several days so I bet they stayed a bit more south and east.
But I have Black Swallowtails laying eggs on my parsley, four of those inside so far. Just can't wait to really get going. I missed the bf cats this winter!
My two-tailed tiger cat is pupating....here it is attached to a stick. Not yet done, but well on its way!
Sadly, the second two-tailed cat died suddenly. I found it limp just as the first cat was completing its pupation and forming a chrysallis. Nothing seemed wrong with it until that time, but it never moved again and is gone. Such a shame!
Awww...sometimes it just happens. At least he had a happy caterpillar life with you. : )
This tiger has been eating up a storm (by tiger standards...they aren't such big eaters). I think it wants to be a butterfly!
Linda, he just gets cuter by the minute! Can't wait to see his transformation!
Oooh...I want caterpillars to find my black cherry! I bought one in March although I'm not sure if cats will use it here. I read that the Tiger STs in my area of FL usually use the Sweetbay Magnolia as their host. There are plenty of magnolias around (just not in my yard); more than their other host plants. Still, being in central FL means I'm on the border of a lot of things so I'm trying my best to attract butterflies from north and south! Everytime I check my black cherry I think we must be th eonly people who get excited over caterpillar damage. : )
Melanie
The largest TST cat, changed color and dumped yesterday...and today is scrunched up and in its stirrups!
Here it is today....
Two more of the TST cats are getting ready to pupate! These were together in the same container and seemed to like being near each other, so I'm not surprised that they would both want to pupate about the same time.
