Awesome shot! It's been a very slow year for BSTs here; they were few in number and didn't lay many eggs :( I only got out about 10 this year rather than the usual 100 or so...
It's been a better year for Monarchs than last season, and what a year for American Ladies!!

That's quite a size discrepancy. I'm guessing the smaller one had recently molted. It's amazing how much they grow in the final instar, isn't it? :)

The smaller one is a third instar I believe (I see some spikes). I've been raising BSTs for about 3 years and the transformative experience always seems brand new. However, I did find a spicebush (not the one in the gallery) but it died when I put it in the same cage with the BSTs even though there was plenty of sassafras stocked in there. I'm guessing the chemical signal of the dill and parsley may have overpowered the scent of the sassafras so the spicebush couldn't recognize it.

I have another spicebush now and what I've found is that the BST gives off a domesticated feel while the spicebush is more "wild". Maybe it's due to the spicebush's nocturnal nature but it did not like to interact much at all and got stressed out easier.

Here is a link that might be useful: My caterpillars (monarch, BSTs, spicebush)

Those are great photos of your cats. Great work.

Martha

Caterpillars just might be my new favorite photographic subject.