GIANTS nearing pupation now :)

9 years ago

Here, you can see what 17 days of growth will do for a Giant Swallowtail caterpillar. I brought them in on June 1st, and this shot was taken on the 18th. Four of the sixteen cats have purged and attached now. The straight pin in the photo is 1 1/2 inches long. I notice that their appetites pick up when they are large and once they have purged, they are bookin all around that enclosure full speed ahead! :)

Comments (9)

bandjzmom
Original Author
9 years ago
Here is a little Giant cat on June 1st when I found them.
Leafhead
9 years ago
Congrats on a job well done. Now things should quiet down for you until Showtime :) Love the baby pic with the pin.
It's always a huge relief when they crawl off, isn't it? All that feeding and all that cleaning. Gets pretty hairy in there when they hit their 4th and 5th instars! It's like a part time job :/

John
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bernergrrl
9 years ago
So awesome! Love the comparison pics.
MissSherry
9 years ago
Congrats, Angie! I just love those ugly giant swallowtail cats!

I love the adults, too - you'll love their 'yellowness'! :)

Sherry
Beth Willett
9 years ago
Does that one have red horns that come out? I think I had one of them on my citrus trees last year and it freaked me out and I removed it! AH I wish I knew then what I know now! It's amazing how something that starts out so ugly can turn into something so beautiful!!!
Debra Vessels
9 years ago
bandjzmom,
Thank you for documenting so many of your cats. It is so encouraging for us newbies. I am surprised that the Giant STcat is so different from the BST cat. I would love to have one, but they just are not common to my area..
socabeth, last year when I found catapillars on my potted dill that I was giving to my son, I picked them all off and threw them in the trash, then when I found them on my dill I googled them and discovered what I had done, I felt horrible.. We learn, we grow! At least we were smart enough to make ammends..
bandjzmom
Original Author
9 years ago
Well, we have GIANT pupation now. :)

thanks John...Yes, their appetites definitely picked up once they were larger. They have eaten about half of my little Hoptree now. :) Right now, I have 4 chrysalides, 2 attached, and 1 wanderer, so we are making progress.

thanks Sherry...I can't wait to see the butterflies up close and personal. I am excited.

yes socabeth, they do have the red Osmeterium (horns) you describe. Yep, you can't judge a book by its cover or a butterfly by its caterpillar. :)

thanks DebraV. How nice of you! I want to be an encourager, and I am willing to help others as so many kind souls here have helped me. :)
bandjzmom
Original Author
9 years ago
Another shot of a GIANT chrysalis alongside an attached caterpillar.
MissSherry
9 years ago
Woo hoo! 'Won't be long now!

Sherry