2019 September 8 morning

 

   Jochen Möhr writes:  As some of you know already, I lately had fun with not only watching a butterfly (Painted Lady, Vanessa cardui) emerging from its chrysalis, but also recording the event. 

 

As the emergence became imminent, during the last 22 hours, I watched continuously for 13 hours – with the exception of from 10 pm on Sunday evening to 6 am on Monday morning.  

 

The event is documented in a five minute 32 second video.  Hope you’ll enjoy watching it:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_Cn4RcrAeY  

 

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  The Orgyia antiqua caterpillar (Vapourer or Rusty Tussock moth) shown yesterday today made the cocoon shown below.  I am hopeful that the moth will emerge this Fall, though I doubt whether I shall have the patience to see and record its emergence as Jochen recorded the emergence of the Painted Lady in the above remarkable video.

 

Orgyia antiqua (Lep.: Erebidae – Lymantriinae)  Jeremy Tatum

 

   Barb McGrenere sends a photograph of a caterpillar of the moth Nadata gibbosa from Observatory Hill this morning.  The caterpillar feeds on Garry Oak, although this individual has finished feeding and is on its way to find somewhere to pupate.  I am not certain about the small black dot on the first thoracic segment.  Let us hope that it is just a speck of dirt, though I have a slight fear that it might be a spot where a hymenopterous parasitoid had inserted its eggs. 

 

Nadata gibbosa (Lep.: Notodontidae)  Barb McGrenere