Thwarted!
I had big plans to work on photographing mosses, but as Jim and I started to get up from the morning coffee, it all changed. Jim noticed a piece of wood with a hole in the end and then the moth in my jar (sitting on the shelf in the shop)! I have been checking it on and off for awhile now.
![](https://i0.wp.com/lookingout.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/IMG_64972BWilsons2Bwood-nymph2Bmoth2Bpaddled2Bseta2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2Bcow2Bitch2BCissus2Bincisa2Bhome2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2Bpupated2Boct2B1st2Bor2Boct2B2rd.jpg?resize=480%2C640&ssl=1)
Oh my! I have been waiting since the beginning of October 2020 for it to emerge!
![](https://i0.wp.com/lookingout.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20902BWilsons2Bwood-nymph2Bmoth2Bpaddled2Bseta2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2Bcow2Bitch2BCissus2Bincisa2Bhome.jpg?resize=640%2C328&ssl=1)
I found the Wilson’s Wood-nymph caterpillar on September 28. Jeanne had found one at her place and I had been on the look out for it here at home. Its host plant is Cow Itch (Cissus incisa).
![](https://i0.wp.com/lookingout.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/00042Bcloseup2BWilsons2Bwood-nymph2Bmoth2Bpaddled2Bseta2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2Bcow2Bitch2BCissus2Bincisa2Bhome.jpg?resize=640%2C480&ssl=1)
It really was a cool caterpillar with it paddle-like setae (the things sticking up).
![](https://i0.wp.com/lookingout.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/IMG_52582BWilson-s2Bwood-nymph2Bmoth2B2528Xerociris2Bwilsonii2529.jpg?resize=640%2C480&ssl=1)
This was taken in situ in our field where the Cow Itch was growing nearby in September 2020.
![](https://i0.wp.com/lookingout.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/00062Bcloseup2BWilsons2Bwood-nymph2Bmoth2Bpaddled2Bseta2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2Bcow2Bitch2BCissus2Bincisa2Bhome.jpg?resize=640%2C480&ssl=1)
Closeup of its prolegs. Prolegs are not the insect’s real legs (which it has 6 legs like all insects), but more like pseudo-legs.
![](https://i0.wp.com/lookingout.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/30782BWilsons2Bwood-nymph2Bmoth2Bpaddled2Bseta2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2Bcow2Bitch2BCissus2Bincisa2Bhome2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2Bpupated2Boct2B1st2Bor2Boct2B2rd.jpg?resize=454%2C640&ssl=1)
For some reason, it was very cooperative straight from the jar.
![](https://i0.wp.com/lookingout.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/30812BWilsons2Bwood-nymph2Bmoth2Bpaddled2Bseta2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2Bcow2Bitch2BCissus2Bincisa2Bhome2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2Bpupated2Boct2B1st2Bor2Boct2B2rd.jpg?resize=494%2C640&ssl=1)
Front view!
![](https://i0.wp.com/lookingout.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/30872BWilsons2Bwood-nymph2Bmoth2Bpaddled2Bseta2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2Bcow2Bitch2BCissus2Bincisa2Bhome2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2Bpupated2Boct2B1st2Bor2Boct2B2rd.jpg?resize=640%2C614&ssl=1)
It has a red spot on the underwing.
![](https://i0.wp.com/lookingout.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/IMG_65242BWilsons2Bwood-nymph2Bmoth2Bpaddled2Bseta2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2Bcow2Bitch2BCissus2Bincisa2Bhome2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2Bpupated2Boct2B1st2Bor2Boct2B2rd.jpg?resize=640%2C596&ssl=1)
This view made me think it was like a bison LOL.
![](https://i0.wp.com/lookingout.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/30902BWilsons2Bwood-nymph2Bmoth2Bpaddled2Bseta2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2Bcow2Bitch2BCissus2Bincisa2Bhome2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2Bmud2Bcocoon2Bin2Bwood2Bchip.jpg?resize=640%2C630&ssl=1)
This is its cocoon. It looked to be made of wood bits. I had put the wood chunks like I read somewhere that it liked for it to pupate.
![](https://i0.wp.com/lookingout.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/31012BWilsons2Bwood-nymph2Bmoth2Bpaddled2Bseta2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2Bcow2Bitch2BCissus2Bincisa2Bhome2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2Bmud2Bcocoon2Bin2Bwood2Bchip.jpg?resize=640%2C474&ssl=1)
It had some hairy stuff at the opening!
![](https://i0.wp.com/lookingout.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/IMG_65412BWilsons2Bwood-nymph2Bmoth2Bpaddled2Bseta2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2Bcow2Bitch2BCissus2Bincisa2Bhome2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2Bpupated2Boct2B1st2Bor2Boct2B2rd.jpg?resize=480%2C640&ssl=1)
I released it the same place where I had originally got the caterpillars. I had brought two caterpillars home to raise back in September. Only one has emerged. The leaf above is the host plant Cow Itch.
![](https://i0.wp.com/lookingout.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/IMG_65552BWilsons2Bwood-nymph2Bmoth2Bpaddled2Bseta2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2Bcow2Bitch2BCissus2Bincisa2Bhome2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2Bpupated2Boct2B1st2Bor2Boct2B2rd.jpg?resize=640%2C480&ssl=1)
It really blends in!
Now, go back to the top and look at the first photo again.
![](https://i0.wp.com/lookingout.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/00042Bgreen2Beggs2Binsect2Bpoint2B82mm2Bwide2Bdisk2Bwith2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2BDISSECTING.jpg?resize=546%2C640&ssl=1)
You can hopefully see the tiny green egg. They are less than one millimeter!
![](https://i0.wp.com/lookingout.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/00082Bgreen2Beggs2Binsect2Bpoint2B82mm2Bwide2Bdisk2Bwith2BXerociris2Bwilsonii2BCOMPOUND.jpg?resize=640%2C584&ssl=1)
A look at the eggs under the compound microscope. I found maybe a half dozen of them in the jar when I was looking for the second cocoon. I have not found the second cocoon. I have put the three little eggs in a small container. Now I will wait again to see what emerges.
Article:
Oh my. That really is a pretty moth. Worth the wait. And it looks more than a little like a bison. Now waiting for green eggs. Dont give them ham.
Judy, Ha ha! I actually thought about the ham too. I just re-looked up the species and in the genera sometimes it seems it could be several years for them to pupate. So I should keep them longer it seems. So I will get the jar until the second one emerges.
Wow! I love everything about this post!
SO COOL! And what a beauty!! I will be curious if it takes several years. Looks like you provided a great pupation habitat with the wood chunks.
Claire, David Wagner's Owlet's book provided the help on the wood chunks.