Pale Swallowtail caterpillars on Coffeeberry
Here are two different caterpillars of a Pale Swallowtail (Papilio eurymedon) butterfly in the same shrub of California Coffeeberry (Frangula californica, Rhamnaceae). They have each recently graduated from the "bird turd" stage that I show in this photo. This is how I find them every day, resting on a cushion of webbing. I've never seen them move away, but they are getting larger - so maybe they are nocturnal feeders? I already have my two photos for the Web Wednesdays group, but happy Web Webnesday anyway! (San Marcos Pass, 30 June 2020)
Pale Swallowtail caterpillars on Coffeeberry
Here are two different caterpillars of a Pale Swallowtail (Papilio eurymedon) butterfly in the same shrub of California Coffeeberry (Frangula californica, Rhamnaceae). They have each recently graduated from the "bird turd" stage that I show in this photo. This is how I find them every day, resting on a cushion of webbing. I've never seen them move away, but they are getting larger - so maybe they are nocturnal feeders? I already have my two photos for the Web Wednesdays group, but happy Web Webnesday anyway! (San Marcos Pass, 30 June 2020)