Caterpillars

I normally post DIY, Crafting, Quilting stuff on Tuesdays. But, since I have not done much in the way of these things lately, I have decided to do a few posts on a series of pictures I have taken that I feel just need to be shared.

I believe I shared a couple of pictures of caterpillars in my “Week in Pictures” posts. I just love these critters. I think it has to do with the knowledge that many of them turn into butterflies and/or moths. I just adore flying flowers.

Back to caterpillars. I found it fascinating that they come in a variety of colors and sizes. I do believe the majority with hair will turn into moths.

I am sharing some of my favorite pictures taken over a span of time. I do hope y’all enjoy viewing them.

11/2/2012

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This is the first one I encountered (or noticed) at our new house. My goodness, I adore them through the camera. Of course, I did not know these types are ever plentiful around here when I shot this picture. I have taken many pictures of a variety of caterpillars since this one I took. It is hard to pick and choose among the favorites.

11/2/2012

Side view of the above critter.

11/4/2012

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I saw this critter two days later – vastly different from the first above.

11/4/2012

Side view of the above critter which was taken before I got him onto a piece of stiff poster board. As you can see, they differ in coloring even though they are similar in size and look.

I am just going to post favorites (along with dates taken) from hereon.

11/6/2012

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11/6/2012

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11/10/2012

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11/10/2012

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11/10/2012

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11/14/2012

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I first posted a picture of one of these critters in A Week in Pictures (#8). I had a lot of fun shooting them. (I came across three on this particular day). While taking pictures of this critter, I discovered something fascinating about its defenses.

11/14/2012

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I had gently poked one with a stick in hopes of getting it to move when suddenly the bright yellow horns appeared. It shocked the heck out of me because I was NOT expecting that. And yes, I screamed like a girl. But, I recovered quickly and determinedly took a couple of pictures.

11/16/2012

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This is one of the last pictures I have taken of caterpillars. I am now keeping an eye on several Chrysalises in hopes of witnessing one of them coming out of their cocoons.

A Week in Pictures (#9)

Note: This post is several days late due to the holidays and being busy. Posts will be sporadic due to it being Christmas time.

Becker’s White Butterfly 11/16/2012

I saw a rather sizeable white butterfly fluttering about the tiny yellow flowers late in the afternoon. I dashed inside, dumped my stuff and grabbed my camera. This is a rare butterfly sighting for me. By the way, another link to Becker’s White Butterfly is here.

Butterfly 11/17/2012

I spied this little critter resting on the siding of our house. It is missing a sizeable portion of a wing. However, it is still able to flutter/fly. By the way, this is the only picture I took on this day.

Ugly Fly 11/18/2012

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This critter was resting on the concrete slab of our back porch. I decided to take a picture to see what it may look like up close. Ugh! It is worst up close! Ha! By the way, I suspect that these critters mature into one of those ugly dragonflies. I have not had much time to do research.

Hairy Caterpillar 11/19/2012

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These critters are so cute! They do vary in coloring and markings and I believe they eventually become moths. I am keeping an eye on two chrysalis formed from these types of caterpillars. It is interesting to know that the hair becomes a part of the chrysalis. I am hoping to catch one coming out as a moth. By the way, my advice would be to never touch a caterpillar with your bare hands. Some caterpillars have toxic defenses.

The Annunciation Catholic Church in St. Hedwig, Texas 11/20/2012

The first time I saw this church was at sunset. The steeple looked blue. (This picture was taken late in the morning in harsh sunlight. I will have to go back late in the evening to get a better picture.) This is actually a beautiful building in a very tiny town established in 1855 by a group of Polish immigrants fleeing poverty, cultural harassment, and religious persecution. One of these days, I am going to go inside the church – it supposedly even more beautiful inside.

Satsuma 11/21/2012

These Satsuma were harvested by my nephews. The plant was given to my Dad by whom I call my dad-in-law years ago and it was planted at the lake house. The boys brought over 230 of these fruits!

Spices for the Turkey (Rub) 11//22/2012

A variety of spices to rub on the Turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. Dan cooked the bird. By the way, it turned out delicious.

A Week in Pictures (#8)

A Face Only a Mother Can Love 11/9/2012

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When Dan was leaving on this morning, I spied a tiny moth on the driveway. I decided to get down on his/her level to take macro pictures. My goodness! That is one ugly face!

Dewdrops on the Head 11/10/2012

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I went out this morning and spied quite a few caterpillars out and about this morning. This one collected tons of dewdrops on his/her head.

Garden Spider: Orb Web Weaver (part I) 11/11/2012

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I was out front with the cats who were required to stayed on the front porch as I did not want to do much today. I decided to explore just a tad while keeping an eye on the cats and spied this tiny little spider in the grass. I knew it was an Orb Web Weaver (Garden Spider); but, it was missing its trademark signature on the web. I zoomed in on the white object and it is actually a very tiny grasshopper he/she is feeding upon.

Bonus Image: Garden Spider: Orb Web Weaver 11/11/2012

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While taking pictures, I must have scared the spider because it dropped down to the ground and played dead. This is what the spider looks like on its other side – kind of boring, huh?

Orb Web Weaver (part II) 11/12/2012

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I checked on this friend of mine this morning and discovered that he/she added its trademark signature on the web. This is what I expected to see the first time around.

Gracie 11/13/2012

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My little girl was acting very bored and depressed this morning. Individual attention and toys did not help. So, I asked if she wanted to go outdoors and showed the harness to her. Her whole body perked and she sat there patiently while I put the harness on her. She was so happy to be outdoors. She would wiggle her butt, dash and pounce on moving grass. She even went after grasshoppers!

FYI: I got her the harness because she has brain issues. Whenever she panics, she would run forgetting where the door is located. We could potentially lose her. I never had a cat like her before. All my other cats would head straight for the door. Not my Gracie. I tried a normal harness and it just did not work. So, I purchased this type of harness and it works beautifully. I do not worry about her hurting herself should she panic and run away. With a collar, she could potentially choke and/or hang herself on the leash. So, this harness gives me peace of mind that she will not hurt herself should she panic and dash with the leash.

Caterpillar 11/14/2012

When I first spied one of these caterpillars, the first word in my mind that popped up was “devil”. So, now it is the Devil Caterpillar to me whenever I see one. Ha! You should see what it does when it feels threatened. I was so surprised when I first witnessed what it did. And yes, I took pictures and will show those in a later post. Anyway, I do know this critter will most likely turn into a swallowtail butterfly.

Chrysalis (I hope) 11/15/2012

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I am keeping an eye on the caterpillars around the house and the detached garage in hopes of catching one turn into a chrysalis. What are the odds that one of them would turn up underneath the windowsill on our front porch? This is day one as it was a regular caterpillar the night before.

I am hoping to see it turn into an Estigmene Albida Moth. There are plenty of these types of caterpillars around here and in my research; these caterpillars turns into moths. The darker caterpillars are very similar to the ones that into the moth I mentioned. I will constantly check on this chrysalis in hopes of witnessing the change.

PS I took a picture 1 ½ hours earlier as the sun was rising; so, it is a very poor picture. However, I needed to make sure it was the caterpillar I was keeping any eye on as it had moved from its original spot the night before. You can clearly see the caterpillar in the picture link. I was amazed to see it densely covered about 1 ½ hours later when I went back out to take some good pictures of the chrysalis.

Thanksgiving Holiday in the States is November, 22, 2012. For everyone who celebrates this holiday, may you have a wonderful day!