While walking the grounds of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center a few years ago, I witnessed several pollinators doing their job of carrying pollen from flower to flower. However, little did I know that I was going to have a few interesting surprises in the area where the center has some caterpillars. So, I thought it would be a different idea to show future pollinators before they turn into common pollinators.
The opening photo is what started this whole series for this post. When I saw that silvery chrysalis, I knew I had to get a good picture of it. Since they are kept inside a building, the window glass separating us was a challenge. Luckily, I was able to place myself such that I reduced glare and my reflection.
That photo is a Variegated Fritillary caterpillar. The sign at the window where I got the featured photo mentioned these larvae love passion flowers, violets, and purslanes. The butterflies can generally be found in prairies, roadsides, and other open areas. Although it is found in Canada and most of the United States, it is not present in the Pacific Northwest.
The following two photos are of a Cecropia Silkmoth and its cocoon. I am ever so thankful to the friendly staff at the Wildflower Center. During this visit, as I approached the area where these caterpillars grow, the staff in charge struck up a conversation and even brought out the Cecropia Silkmoth caterpillar out so I could get better photos without the glass window. That’s customer service beyond anyone’s expectations. She told me that those caterpillars had changed into cocoons earlier in June and would only emerge as a fully-grown moth in February or March of next year. That’s a 9-to-10-month gestation period, and the moth will only live 5-6 days once it emerges.
The leaves you see covering the cocoon here are put there by the caterpillar to hide the cocoon from predators. The caterpillar itself was large. It was approximately the size and width of an index finger.
Another example of a future pollinator comes from a different area on the north side of Austin. The striped larva will emerge as a Black Swallowtail butterfly. I photographed that on a small patch of wildflowers on a station for pollinators just by my road biking trail on Kuempel Park in Pflugerville, near Gilleland Creek.
I was there to photograph some wildflowers, including a few beautiful and large sunflowers. This is one of those moments when you are at the right place at the right time. A knowledgeable volunteer from the Pflugerville Parks Division was showing the area to a visitor. I heard her pointing out this tiny larva. Even knowing it was there, I still had a hard time finding and focusing on it. The larva was just barely bigger than my thumbnail.
That is the story behind the shots. If you liked this post, you might also be interested in others featuring Austin, Butterfly, Cecropia silkmoth, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Macros, Pollinators, and Wildlife. Until the next time, keep clicking and capturing the beauty your eyes find.
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Tra Italia e Finlandia
Ma che fantastico!
Egidio Leitao
Grazie, Luisella.
Michael Williams
Excellent collection Egidio. Mike
Egidio Leitao
Thanks for writing and for the compliment, Mike.
Steve Schwartzman
An excellent collection. The variegated fritillary chrysalis is not only silvery, but also displays unexpected colors and iridescence.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Steve. One of the benefits of a macro shot is the unexpected texture/color discovery.
restlessjo
Incredible photos from you! It’s wonderful when people are passionate about a subject. It brings out the best in them. And what’s more inspiring than nature?
Egidio Leitao
Thanks a million, Jo. This feedback is so nice to read.
K. Ravindre
Those caterpillars are wonderful—I’m especially drawn to the first one!
Egidio Leitao
I’m glad you liked them. It’s great to see them up close. Thanks for your comment.
Vicki
I love those caterpillars, especially the first one.
I don’t see them often now as I don’t visit the Butterfly House at Melbourne Zoo.
Egidio Leitao
It’s hit and miss for me, too. Sometimes, it just happens. Thanks for writing.
Amy
Wow… blow me away!! Love these pollinators, great shots!
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Amy. I’m glad you liked them.
Anne Sandler
Oh my Egidio, you captured the beauty of the butterfly from chrysalises to full form. Thanks for sharing!
Egidio Leitao
Thank you, Anne. It pays off to be a little patient and revisit those places when you know you can document the life cycle of those insects.
solaner
what a beauty (Black Swallowtail), Egídio. Thanks for sharing!!
Egidio Leitao
Thank you for commenting.
margaret21
What beautiful shots.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Margaret.
philosophy through photography
Egidio, what a wonderfully detailed journey through the secret lives of future pollinators! From shimmering chrysalises behind glass to caterpillars hiding in leaf-burritos, this was nature’s version of a surprise party—with guests slowly arriving over 10 months.
Loved the behind-the-scenes scoop and the unexpected encounters.
Thank you for sharing this fascinating peek into metamorphosis in action!
Egidio Leitao
Philo, thanks for your detailed feedback. One thing I did not mention in that post is that merely by chance, I was back at the Wildflower Center the day those cocoon had opened. It was really special to see the beautiful moths that emerged.
philosophy through photography
Indeed a special moment.
I. J. Khanewala
Wonderful photos. I find it hard to identify caterpillars in the wild.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, I.J. I sometimes have a hard time seeing them. They can be very tiny.
shoreacres
At first, I was perplexed by your photo of the Variegated Fritillary caterpillar. I see them fairly regularly, but all of my photos show them as a combination of orange, black, and white. Eventually, I figured it out, thanks to BugGuide. Your photo shows a chrysalis! I’ve never come upon a chrysalis in the wild — or anywhere else for that matter — so I didn’t recognize it for what it was. It’s a beautiful thing.
Egidio Leitao
Linda, sorry for the oversight. Many thanks for kindly pointing out my mistake. Yes, it’s a chrysalis. The Wildflower Center keeps a few of those in a safe building. I lucked out being there when they had the Variegated Fritillary chrysalis on display. Thanks again.
shoreacres
I wouldn’t call it a mistake on your part, not at all. My comment only reflected my own lack of knowledge. I’m so accustomed to thinking of caterpillar/butterfly as the normal states of these insects, I never considered ‘chrysalis’ as a third stage.This article is a little long, but it certainly does a great job of explaining what’s going on inside those chrysalises. Who knew hormones are involved?
Egidio Leitao
Thanks for that wonderful link. Great info!
Randy Schoener
Great photos and interesting facts.
I didn’t know about Pollinator week. I’ll have to add that to a butterfly post Im currently working on.
Egidio Leitao
Thank you, Randy. It’ll be great to see your post.
mitchteemley
Spectacular close-ups!
Egidio Leitao
Thanks for your compliment, Mitch. Much appreciation for your words.
Brad
I’ve enjoyed your pollinator post this week Egidio. I don’t know why some of your posts don’t show up in my WP reader. I prefer seeing them there so I can easily comment. Here I have to sign in each time which is cumbersome.
Egidio Leitao
The Reader won’t show a certain plug-in “feature” I occasionally use. However, the post on the site is fully functional. I’m sorry for the hassle. I made a note not to use that plug-in (dis)functionality in the future. I think your comment was probably in reference to the previous post and not this. Is that right?