Category: butterflies (Page 35 of 43)

Bug of the Week: Monarch Butterfly

While snow is falling elsewhere, we are having record high temperatures. That means some insects are still active, including this monarch butterfly on our desert milkweed plant.

She was fluttering around the plant and then landing here and there.

When she landed, she curled her abdomen. (I was taking the photographs from as far as way as possible with a doubler, so as not to disturb her.)

Any idea what she is doing?

This might give you a clue.

Yes, that white dot is an egg.

You can bet we’ll be watching our milkweed plant closely over the next few weeks to see what develops.

We planted our desert milkweeds for the butterflies. Do you have any butterfly plants in our yard?

Bug of the Week: Giant Swallowtail

Do you remember the orange dog caterpillar and then the chrysalis from a few weeks ago?

The butterfly that emerged is called the giant swallowtail.

I was so excited when it came out of the chrysalis because I have never gotten a photograph of these speedy and elusive butterflies. They are always fluttering by at the tops of our citrus trees.

Because it had just emerged, it was sitting very still. It was waiting for its wings to finish drying. I was able to take a number of photographs. Here’s a close up of the eye spots on the hind wings.

Look, you can even see the scales that cover the wings.

Underneath it has a yellow body.

Isn’t it amazing that an egg and a few grapefruit leaves can transform into something so beautiful?

Have you ever seen a giant swallowtail butterfly up close?

Bug of the Week: Chrysalises

This week all the caterpillars from the last two weeks have disappeared. But don’t be sad, because now they are chrysalises.

The queen butterfly forms within this delicate green structure with gold beading. It looks a lot like the monarch butterfly chrysalis.

I am happy to report the queen butterfly from this chrysalis successfully emerged and flew away.

The orange dog caterpillar formed a chrysalis that would be well camouflaged on the bark of the tree.

This one is still transforming inside.

What about the tobacco hornworm? It has formed a pupa, but it is hard to show you because hornworms pupate in the soil.

Related Activity:  Investigate where butterflies and moths spend the winter.

Different butterflies and moths may spend the winter as eggs, larvae, chrysalises, cocoons or adults. See if you can find some of these.

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