Caterpillar Watch
You've already seen evidence of my caterpillar stalking.
Given my fascination with the creatures, you can imagine how excited I was when one caterpillar inched 60 feet to pupate on my house. (I really want to do the conversion into what that would be for a human because that distance just seems to be a monumental feat.)
It settled in at eye height and, within the span of a morning, became a jade colored chrysalis.
Within just two days, you could see the wing developing within the chrysalis. (Look on the left side)
Unfortunately, this story doesn't have a happy ending. Within five days the slight discoloration of the chrysalis -- not always a guaranteed problem -- had spread.
The brown / burnished gold color spread around the chrysalis. Discoloration isn't always a death sentence but, after 8 days, the blackened chrysalis is a telltale sign. The caterpillar / butterfly was dead, the victim of either a deadly bacteria or parasite.
I had been so excited to capture a metamorphosis. Unfortunately, I witnessed the harsher side of nature. Yes, I know this kind of stuff happens and it's all part of the balance of nature but still, it sucks.
Given my fascination with the creatures, you can imagine how excited I was when one caterpillar inched 60 feet to pupate on my house. (I really want to do the conversion into what that would be for a human because that distance just seems to be a monumental feat.)
It settled in at eye height and, within the span of a morning, became a jade colored chrysalis.
Unfortunately, this story doesn't have a happy ending. Within five days the slight discoloration of the chrysalis -- not always a guaranteed problem -- had spread.
I had been so excited to capture a metamorphosis. Unfortunately, I witnessed the harsher side of nature. Yes, I know this kind of stuff happens and it's all part of the balance of nature but still, it sucks.
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