One Hundred Polyphemus (Silk) Caterpillars

One Hundred Polyphemus (Silk) Caterpillars!

 

 

I have been busy this past month feeding about one hundred caterpillars.  These are Polyphemus moth caterpillars (also called Silk moths).  I have plenty of pictures of the caterpillars.  Soon I will have many more pictures of the Polyphemus (Silk) moth!

 

Here are some pictures that I managed to take while feeding all of these caterpillars their host plant:



Polyphemus (Silk) moth caterpillar feeding on host plant, Oak tree.

 

Polyphemus (Silk) moth caterpillars looking for host plant, Oak tree.

 

This is when the Polyphemus (Silk) moth caterpillars first hatched.  There were only a few caterpillars that I was able to take a picture of.  They are so small when they first hatch!  You can only imagine how fast the food gets eaten from all of these.

 

Their eggs are white.  These caterpillars have red heads when they first hatch.  Their bodies are green with organge/yellow spikes or spines.

See more pictures by M&M Pleasures

Gulf Fritillary Butterfly

Gulf Fritillary Butterfly



Gulf Fritillary butterfly feeding on zena

The Gulf Fritillary Butterfly is around Texas at this time of year. 

It's host plant is passionflower.  The caterpillars look like a orange-red-brown color with black thorns around the body. 

They are really not thorns!  They are actually pretty soft.  These black thorn looking things get larger as the caterpillar gets larger.

The Butterfly is very beautiful with white spots and a mixture of brown and reddish color around them.  I love watching these butterflies spread their wings because there is a totally different color on the inside from the outside!  A nice brown texture with black lining within.

Take a look!!

 

Gulf Fritillary butterfly feeding on lantana

 

Oh, yeah.  I forgott the 3 tiny little white dots on the upper part of the wing... How could I forgett that.  (Joking)

Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly

Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly



Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly

The butterfly you see here is a pipevine swallowtail.  It's scientific name is Battus Philenor.

I love watching these butterflies fly around the trees in my backyard.  I see their shadows on the grass when I walk around.  They are always hovering above somewhere.  It is truly delightful to observe!

I planted some zenas in my backyard for the butterflies to feed on.  They are barely large enough, but they grow fast.  They will be there in this summer for them to feed on.

The inside wings are a beautiful bright blue color.  The outside wings are black with orange spots.

I love how they just glide through the air.  I will see if I can get a video of this sooner or later.




Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly caterpillar on host plant

The caterpillars are the funniest looking things.  Whenever I see the large ones, they are always in a hurry.  They crawl so fast!  They are a dark red brown color with some tiny orange spots along the sides, and one orange spot on the head sometimes.

The caterpillars feed on some pipevine in my backyard.  Their eggs are an orange color.

Today's Butterfly

Today's Butterfly

The butterfly I spotted in my backyard today was a Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly.  These two below were on my ash tree.



Pipevine Swallowtail Butterflies

Later I found the caterpillars feeding on some pipevine in my backyard.  I have a picture of them below.



Pipevine Swallowtail caterpillar



Pipevine Swallowtail caterpillars