viceroy (Limenitis archippus) egg on meadow willow (Salix petiolaris) leaf at Chipera Prairie IA 653A9502
There was so much neat nature stuff to see today that I had to add this look at a viceroy egg. I was hiking at Chipera Prairie this evening and saw a viceroy butterfly land on the end of this meadow willow leaf. A couple seconds later she repeated the process on a second leaf before flying away. Knowing willow leaves are a favorite food for viceroy caterpillars, I suspected she may have been laying eggs and lo and behold here is what I found. This viceroy egg is no larger than a pinhead but if you look up close its shell is covered with elaborate decorations.
viceroy (Limenitis archippus) egg on meadow willow (Salix petiolaris) leaf at Chipera Prairie IA 653A9502
There was so much neat nature stuff to see today that I had to add this look at a viceroy egg. I was hiking at Chipera Prairie this evening and saw a viceroy butterfly land on the end of this meadow willow leaf. A couple seconds later she repeated the process on a second leaf before flying away. Knowing willow leaves are a favorite food for viceroy caterpillars, I suspected she may have been laying eggs and lo and behold here is what I found. This viceroy egg is no larger than a pinhead but if you look up close its shell is covered with elaborate decorations.