I've spotted yet another Common Crow caterpillar munching its way through several leaves on the potted Oleander out in the courtyard garden. Obviously these caterpillars have no problem feeding on plants with milky sap.
I wonder if I'll be lucky enough to see the butterfly emerging from the chrysalis of this fabulous creature this time. I missed the sight of the emerging butterfly from the chrysalis hanging from one of the leaves of this plant just a couple of weeks ago.
This morning I also spotted this caterpillar munching on some Gardenia leaves. I'm not really sure which caterpillar this one is, so any helps with an I.D. would be much appreciated.
Is this a moth or a butterfly? It's a subject I really need to learn more about.
Bernie, This is a site I go to to try to identify moths and butterfly catapillars - has a reasonable range of them
ReplyDeletehttp://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/butter.html
Thanks for that Missy. I'm off to take a look.
DeleteOh just today my hubby sent me some photos of the Ulysses butterflies having a party at home while I am at work! It seems as though it is butterfly season at last - the sun is out too which makes me very happy.
ReplyDeleteI saw the photos on your latest blog post, AA. Truly beautiful! He got some terrific shots. Hope that sunshine keeps on through the long weekend for you.
DeleteI can't help with caterpillars but I have seen the green one munching on my plants. Not sure that I appreciate them doing that.
ReplyDeleteYes I'm not sure about whether or not to get rid of the green caterpillar that's munching its way through most of the Gardenia leaves. The poor shrub looks rather naked at the moment!
DeleteHi Bernie - not sure about your part of the world but it looks remarkably like one of the hawk moth caterpillars. You have 65 varieities - is this link any good?
ReplyDeleteaustrailian hawk moths. Like to stop by every now and then to see how your garden grows
Laura (patiopatch)
G'day Laura. It's been a while! Thanks for the link. I think you might have something there. I may have to do a bit more research though to find an exact match.
DeleteHi Bernie...we will start to see butterflies pretty soon but too cold at the moment. They eat the oleander. Wow those things are poisonous.
ReplyDeleteI guess it must not bother them.
That Oleander must not be poisonous to them. I hope you get to see them make their Chrysalis and grow. It is always so fun to watch them.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Laura about hawkmoths. I know at least one of the bee hawkmoths (Cephonodes) has green caterpillars that feed on gardenia. You've prob. seen the adults --- they have transparent wings and buzz around like enormous flower wasps (or, I suppose, bees.)
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos...I hope you find out what critter this is.
ReplyDelete