Category: Milkweed

Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillar

Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillar (Euchaetes egle). This caterpillar just might alarm you if you’re growing milkweed with Monarch Butterflies in mind. No need to worry though. The Milkweed Tussock Moth and the Monarch Butterfly have grown up in the “same neighborhood” side by side, sharing the bounty. Both butterfly and moth caterpillars are eating a poison contained in the milkweed called cardiac glycosides (cardenolides) to provide protection, making both creatures distasteful to birds and bats. As adult moths, the Milkweed Tussock Moth is able to communicate with bats emitting an ultrasonic click which bats take as a warning to stay away. Mighty clever.

Those of us who are growing milkweed to help the plight of the Monarch Butterfly might consider that the Milkweed Tussock Moth would appreciate our help as well. The photo above gives you a glimpse of Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillars in various stages of development. Let them dine at the milkweed plants with the Monarchs!

Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillar

Several days ago I wrote about the adult Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus). The caterpillar of that beautiful butterfly has an impressive set of eyespots giving the caterpillar the look of a small snake which protects it from predators. The actual eyes are quite small, about the size of a pinpoint, located down the head, close to the mouth.

The Spicebush Swallowtail goes through five instars, or caterpillar stages, taking three to four weeks. In the first four of those instars the caterpillar looks much like bird poop with small false eyespots that get larger as each instar emerges. Like those eyespots, the bird poop camouflage works well as a protection against predators.

An element on the eyespot really impresses me. There is a white spot on the black pupil, a faux reflection! As the fifth instar ages, it goes from bright green to rich sunshine yellow leaning toward orange. Once the Spicebush Swallowtail reaches the adult and butterfly stage, it lives for just six to fourteen days nectaring on many flowers including jewelweed, milkweed, and thistle.

Zebra Swallowtail

The larval host of Zebra Swallowtail (Protographium marcellus) is any of the eight species of the genus PawPaw (Asimina). I’m in the process of replacing three PawPaw trees that I recently lost. An important quest for me.

Exquisite Zebra Swallowtails depend entirely on PawPaw trees for their very existence. No PawPaw trees, no Zebra Swallowtails.

They’re native to eastern United States and southeast Canada, the state butterfly of Tennessee.

As adults these butterflies feed on the nectar of flowers such as blueberry and blackberry blossoms, lilac, milkweed, redbud, verbena, and dogbane. They also get minerals from moist sand and soil. But they need those PawPaw trees to get started. I’ve got them ordered. Soon to be put in the ground here at the cabin, and OH! Those blooms. I love ’em!