Because we drive slowly, we often need to pull to the side of the road to let a big truck or car pass us. They all have work and/or places to go. ;-). The next spot that we could safely pull off the road for a big truck, had a shady spot to park. Additionally, it looked like a low shady spot to check out.
Ok, this is not in the shade. LOL. At first, I could not recall which sunflower this was. It came to me later. It was the Maximillian Sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani). For me it is easier to ID when in bloom. Notice all the white road dust. Our pants got covered in the stuff.
The place looked familiar. Funny how we are drawn to certain spots again and again. So when Jeanne spotted these caterpillars, I knew I had seen them before at this spot!. Of course, I could not recall what they were. LOL. Notice how they mined the upper surface of the Dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum syn Apocynum canadense) leaf. In a later instar, they will be orange with the black spots.
Indeed a group of them had done a lot of mining! The webbing was mostly likely theirs as well.
Some of them were loners, but many gregarious!
At the time, I did not recall that it was a dogbane plant. However, you can see the milky sap here. So it is important to remember that more than just milkweed and Euphorias have milky sap.
Also found was a webbed covered cocoon! So when I got home, I searched my photos because I just knew that we had seen the cats before. And I had brought home another cocoon in 2020 that looked exactly like this one. I raised it and it was the Dogbane Saucrobotys (Saucrobotys futilalis). I am raising this one too. š
Final photo from the Dogbane. On the backside of a leaf was this shiny stuff. Pretty but not a clue what it was. Tomorrow’s post will continue with other good stuff found on the driving tour. š
Keep looking!
The more you know, the more you see and the more you see, the more you know.
4 Comments
Another resident of Mary’s Foster Home for Wayward Moths LOL! I found photos of the adult Saucrobotys futilalis. A bit plain but I’m sure that serves it well as camouflage. Milkweeds are now a part of the Dogbane Family so the taxonomists are lumping the milky sap species.
Another resident of Mary’s Foster Home for Wayward Moths LOL! I found photos of the adult Saucrobotys futilalis. A bit plain but I’m sure that serves it well as camouflage. Milkweeds are now a part of the Dogbane Family so the taxonomists are lumping the milky sap species.
šš
Iām intrigued by the shiny stuff!
Me too. It was weird.