Mourning Cloak Butterfly
Hi WTB,
I just wanted to share with you and all of us “bug-sleuths” my recent discovery. About a two months ago I began seeing thousands of little black turds on my back porch under my chinese elm tree. At first I was very concerned thinking that I may have an infested tree. I suspected the turds were non mammalian or avian due to the shape of the extrusion. They were not round, but slightly squared and short in length. My suspicions were proven correct when among the turds one morning were a dried up caterpillar, too emaciated to get a good identification. The identification came about a week later when the caterpillars in my tree were on the move. I spotted ten or so caterpillars that were spiny, charcoal grey with red markings that were slightly diamond shape along the back (see the picture).

They had apparently dropped from the tree and were making their way up the walls of my house in order to find a place to chrysalize. Once they found their chosen place, they attached themselves and spun a light grey chrysalis. One thing I noticed was that part of the caterpillar actually became discarded in the process. I could not tell if the head or the tail of the caterpillar lost out. Nonetheless, nature took its course, and one morning, I had the wonderful opportunity to photograph one of the butterflies just born, drying its wings in the sun. While it is not a strikingly colorful specimen, it is nonetheless a wonderful part of my backyard environment. Enjoy.
Bob K
Sunny San Diego, CA

Hi Bob,
What a wonderful account of Mourning Cloak metamorphosis. During each stage of metamorphosis, the individual loses its exoskeleton, hence the discarded chrysalis skin in the background of your butterfly image. Mourning Cloaks are native to California, and before the introduction of the Chinese Elm, a favorite host tree, they fed on riparian willows that grow near stream beds and rivers. This is a wide ranging species that is found throughout North America and Europe in the Northern hemisphere.

Follow-up on Zebra Longwing caterpillar
I just love your site! Thanks again for letting me know that I had Zebra Longwing caterpillars on a passion vine. I had followed them through the stages and have attached additional pictures of the cacoon and adults on a cacoon.

Lastly. I have now found a SECOND different caterpillar on the same passion vine. It has the same spikes as the Zebra Longwing but it is differently colored. Do you know what this caterpillar is? Thanks.
Bill
Miami, FL

Wow Bill,
That is one impressive looking Chrysalis. We have never seen the Chrysalis or Pupa of a Zebra Longwing. It is very ornate. It appears that the Zebra Longwing adults are mating, and we suspect the caterpillar might be the coloration of an earlier instar. Caterpillars molt four times, once after each of the five instars or growth phase. On many species, each instar is a different color with different markings. After the fifth molt is the Chrysalis stage. Your metamorphosis series is a fabulous addition to our site.

Correction: (08/14/2007) caterpillar id
hello there!
I have long looked through your site and never contacted you! I have been interested in bugs for some time since I was little, and now i’m 17 and going to Cornell U for entomology (which was my dream!)! I’ve worked at a butterfly vivarium for 5 years now, and I’m very much into rearing and raising moths and butterflies, especially the Saturniids!! I have a bunch of Actias selene (indian moon moth) eclosing at the moment, which I will gladly photograph and send in!! My email actually pertains to a picture I came across on your caterpillar page! it was on the caterpillars 10 link, and the date was 6/29/2007, of the zebra longwing chrysalis and butterflies. The caterpillar is not an early instar of the zebra; it’s a julia butterfly (Dryas iulia) caterpillar. The zebras remain white with black spots for their entire life, except when they are first and second instar babies, and look sort of yellowish! I hope you don’t mind my input!!
Jeff Petracca

Red Spotted Purple – A Happy End
Dear Bugman,
The photo model hatched today, which provided us with a nice photo series: The Red Spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax). To end this story, I am sending a picture of the pharate pupa and the hatched butterfly (sitting next to its exuvie). I will give you a little break from my letters now, but I will return, because I am preparing a photo series of two very interesting and closely related species: Asterocampa celtis (Hackberry Emperor) and A. clyton (Tawny Emperor). I have already some gorgeous pictures of very small and bigger caterpillars of both species, but I will wait until I have photos of the pupae as well.
Best regards,
Thomas
Madison/Wisconsin

Hi Thomas,
Thank you for keeping us abreast of this fascinating saga. We eagerly await your next series. Have a wonderful day.
Daniel and Lisa Anne