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christie_sw_mo

Any color variation in Easter Tiger cats?

christie_sw_mo
12 years ago

This is my first year to raise Tiger Swallowtails inside. I have around 20 that I've found on my Tulip tree. Most of them I collected as eggs or at an early instar stage. All but two looked the same. My two odd ones were very newly hatched out of their eggs when I found them, very close to each other on my Tulip tree. They were green and white instead of brown and white during their early instar stage. They never went through a stage when they were brown and white like my others did. I've kept them separate from my other cats and they are now getting ready to form a chrysalis.

Are there any other cats that might look very similar to Eastern Tiger Swallowtails that would use Tulip tree as a host or is it just normal for them to have some color variation?

Comments (13)

  • MissSherry
    12 years ago

    I've never seen or heard of a tiger swallowtail cat that varied from the usual pattern, Christie. Did you get a picture of these two as green and white early instar cats? I hope so, because I think this is undoubtedly very rare. I can't think off hand of any other cat that they might be.
    Keep us posted about them. Oddities are interesting!
    Sherry

  • butterflymomok
    12 years ago

    How about the later stages? Were they still different from the other ETSWs? If they had the white saddle, I would say they were tigers. I have seen color variations in other species. I haven't raised enough of the tigers to know.

    Black Swallowtail cats can have some color variations, as well as Monarchs. Most notable, would be the red and black caterpillars of the Pipevine Swallowtail. Some are burgundy with red spikes, and others are black with red spikes. I had a burgundy colored cat eclose the other day. Black seems to be the more common color. And there is lots of color variation in the chrysalides of swallowtails.

    Sandy

  • christie_sw_mo
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I did take a picture but haven't put it on my computer yet. I used my daughter's camera because mine has been missing and her macro lens doesn't work as well but I think they'll be somewhat clear.
    As far as I could tell, they looked the same as my other cats when they got bigger unless there were details I didn't notice. I took a picture when they were early instars and another today. I will take another picture when they emerge.

  • christie_sw_mo
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    When I found the two odd cats they were still on the leaf with their egg and had just hatched out. They were green and white then, and stayed that color, never brown and white like my others. I don't know how old they were in this picture that I took. The computer says it was taken June 14th. I have four or five photos but this one is the clearest.
    {{gwi:491056}}

    After they had molted a couple times they did't have the white stripe across their back.

    This is the photo I took yesterday. They're both getting ready to make their chrysalis and I only took a picture of one but they look the same. They've turned dark as you can see.

    {{gwi:491057}}

  • MissSherry
    12 years ago

    Hmmmm......I guess they're perfectly normal tigers, just have a color variation.
    Thanks for posting the pictures!
    Sherry

  • butterflymomok
    12 years ago

    Christie,

    Thanks for posting the photo. That helped. These don't appear to be new hatchlings. It looks like the second instar. So, I think they were just ahead of your other cats. The new hatchlings look just like the Black Swallowtail larvae. I've included a link to my pbase gallery of Life Cycle of Butterflies. I have a photo that looks just like yours does.

    I am so envious of you raising 20 ETSWs! I only find one or two eggs/caterpillars on my Tulip tree, but that's probably because my neighbor has a big Wild Cherry tree.

    I can only imagine what the release will be like with this many butterflies--beautiful!!

    Sandy

    Here is a link that might be useful: Eastern Tiger Swallowtail larva

  • MissSherry
    12 years ago

    I agree with Sandy. It's really easy to miss hatchling and very early instar cats. I found two black swallowtails the other day on some rue that were probably ?second instar - I never saw the eggs or the hatchlings.
    I found this picture of a green-with-the-white-saddle tiger cat that I raised -
    {{gwi:491058}}
    Does it look just the same as Christie's?
    Sherry

  • christie_sw_mo
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    When I found them, they were smaller than a grain of rice and green. The photo was taken after I'd had them for several days. Sorry for the confusion.
    Maybe they were actually second or third instar when I found them and just unusually small. Anyway - I will watch them and see what happens just in case. Thanks

  • hurricanekerrie
    12 years ago

    Hi! This is my first time posting here but I've learned a lot already while I lurked. :) I picked up three Eastern Tiger caterpillars this summer and I've been raising them with my four-year-old students.

    I found my other Tiger cat just like yours two weeks ago and I worried too that it was too little. At the time it was hardly any bigger than the width of my finger. I caught my other tiger when it was brown and it seemed larger than this green one. Anyway, I think it may be 2nd instar because mine has molted four other times (it molted today!) and I'm pretty sure this will be the last molt because it's about the same size as my two others when they molted for the last time.

  • christie_sw_mo
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Congrats on finding the cats HurricaneKerrie and welcome! Glad you joined in. Your kids will enjoy learning about butterflies.
    Both of my little green cats have successfully flown off now. They looked normal to me so I didn't post a photo but here is one of them before I let it go.
    {{gwi:491059}}
    {{gwi:491060}}

  • christie_sw_mo
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Hope I posted a photo of the right one.
    I think this was the other one.
    {{gwi:491061}}
    {{gwi:491062}}

  • MissSherry
    12 years ago

    They look perfect to me, Christie! Beautiful!

    Sherry

  • butterflymomok
    12 years ago

    Gorgeous!!

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