As the flowers and warm weather have dissappeared, the butterflies have as well.
While these butterflies are now gone their caterpillars are finishing growing and looking for a place to make a chrysalis for the winter.
They are a basic green like many caterpillars, but they have special "eye" markings to use in defensive situations.
When danger approaches they pull their head back into their body, swelling the front part of their body, making it look like the scary picture below.
If that doesn't work the caterpillars have brightly colored orange scent organs they extrude from their head that emit a bad odor.
It's defenses seem to be working for this caterpillar so far.
This is beautiful. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteSo, i have a photo of one i took in my backyard. A Western Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly appeared in my garden today. So, they look like little black fruits or black beans emerging from her hind side. I am looking for info or other pictures that demonstrate this. Since I saw your female with her hind tail ragged and half missing, and near death, I am going to assume she plants these eggs around at expense to herself? So reminds me of the MY OCTOPUS TEACHER. Now a butterfly has made me cry. It is so adorable the way she bats away the bees and they accommodate her! I took the first photo. The others were at a great educational site. It appears that my butterfly is just getting started -- and is pregnant? There is no place to put my foto here.
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