Berkeley's Anise Swallowtail Caterpillars and Butterflies
Kathryn and I started raising anise swallowtail caterpillars in the Summer of 2001. Not on purpose, really. I made the fateful decision to rescue one from some fennel that I had cut in the back yard, and decided to bring the caterpillar and some fennel inside so that I could watch it for a while. Well, before long I had brought in 2 or 3 more, then 20 or so. Watching these caterpillars eat (and eat and eat and eat), crawl, wave themselves around, and, especially, change their coats and finally their entire bodies is, surprisingly, very relaxing and satisfying. Even though they make a mess.
The condo, nursery, bassinet, pupa pad, and repurposed plexi enclosure...
Eggs! Pics, and vids of movement within.
Hatching and Newborn...pics and vids, size vs. adult
Odd coloration of a caterpillar...
A tiny wasp larva intervenes... Spinning larva pics/vid!
Don't toss out that drowned cat!
Something there is in a fennel plant that loves a caterpillar egg...
Molting--shedding the skin and head capsule, and mandibles!
Contortion...spinning the silken harness
What is that weird thing?! Spiracles, silken attachment points
Dunno--that pupa looks sort of dead...
The fabulous flying machine...
Do caterpillars "see"? The ocelli...
Comments, Questions, Corrections
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