On our adventure to the bottomlands on the LBJ NG, we certainly found a lot of cats. Furthermore, did you know a group of caterpillars is called an army? I didn’t. LOL Also while searching for the term I found a group of cats (the feline kind) is called a clowder or a glaring. And a litter of kittens can also be called a kindle. Ooops, sorry that was a bit off topic. But I thought interesting so there you go. 😉
Back to the larvae kind now. Yesterday’s post had the “burrito” larva. However, we found so many more!
Here was one of the reasons I surveyed this area, the Pipevine (Aristolochia tomentosa)! It is the big twisted vine. I did not really expect to find it any blooming. And they were not.
Evidence of a hungry critter on the Pipevine leaf!
The culprit, the Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) larva!
You might have noticed the Carolina Buckthorn (Frangula caroliniana) in the background of the above photos?
The Eight-spotted Forester (Alypia octomaculata) finds it yummy!
Another cat on the Pipevine. It took some creative maneuvering to get it down. Moreover, I knew I had seen it somewhere before but not on a Pipevine. So when I got home, I found its name. Hello, Lettered Sphinx Moth (Deidamia inscriptum). Previously I had only found them on Virginia Creeper. Nice to know it likes a varied diet. 😉
Additionally, the leaf had another larva. No clue on its identity.
A fourth larva found on the Pipevine. Best I can do for its identity was an Owlet Moth (Noctuidae).
A pre-cat! A Monarch egg.
An American Lady caterpillar on its one of its host plants, a cudweed.
The last cat is perhaps in the tribe Xyleinini (subfamily Noctuinae) Furthermore this was the only one I brought home. So good luck at the Curry Foster Home.
In summary, it was CATegorically a good larvae day! And it doesn’t get any better.
The seeds come up pretty well. I would love to have more 🙂 But Bill grows us some for the TF sale so we are doing pretty good. Doesn’t sell as well as I would like it to but vines are not as big of sellers period.
Super group of cats!
Those are some beautiful cats. Love the pipevine swallowtail cat. Beautiful. Some great pics.
Thanks!
Wow, what fun finds! Looks like pipeline is a keystone plant; I need to plant some around my yard.
I collected seeds once for Kathy. I don’t remember how that went. Need to ask Kathy. 🙂
The seeds come up pretty well. I would love to have more 🙂 But Bill grows us some for the TF sale so we are doing pretty good. Doesn’t sell as well as I would like it to but vines are not as big of sellers period.
I wonder if the lack of showy flowers is the reason it does not do well? Needs a PR canpaign. 🙂