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Life cycle of a Clouded Yellow, continued.

The next photo was taken five days after the picture of the late 2nd instar Clouded Yellow larva was taken. Once they reach the 3rd instar stage they grow rather rapidly, and the change in appearance is quite remarkable, actually looking like a caterpillar with some character, that we are more accustomed to seeing. The next two photos depict the same larva going to the loo, most caterpillars i have observed normally just let the waste matter pass through them and, it drops to the ground. But this caterpillar likes to show off and, fires it through the air like a cannon ball with great velocity, and away from it`s` feeding leaf, probably to help conceal it`s whereabouts. Rather like that of a nesting bird which drops the broken egg shell of the newly hatched some distance from the nest site for the same reason.

Those shots are just awesome The last one with the flying fecal matter is ace, I can't wait to show my girls tomorrow they'll think it's hilarious
I wasn't aware that they did that, valid reason though.
Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thank you for your kind comments Wurzel, appreciated. I was`nt aware that the caterpillar was capable of such a feat either, and it was quite a surprise. I was just glad to have been photographing the larva when it all happened and, was able to record the moment. I hope your girls enjoyed the photos.

All the best, Nick.

Hi Nick, great photos and fascinating stuff

I remember reading something ages ago that there are a number of caterpillars that eject their frass away from themselves, can't remember where I read it or which particular species did it though.

Keep the good stuff coming,

Neil.

Thank you Neil for your kind comments, appreciated. I have just learnt, that apparently there are some predatory insects that can detect their prey by the cemical scent of it`s frass. So this is why some insects/larva take the action of propelling it`s waste matter away from their feeding leaf/area to help prevent detection.

All the best, Nick.

They loved the images Nick, my younger daughters eyes nearly popped out of her head when I told her that they fired their poo and my older daughter now wants to find one to watch it first hand

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi Wurzel,

I`m really pleased that your two daughters enjoyed the photos. They sound like a great couple of young ladies and, are obviously a credit to you and your wife. Now that your eldest daughter wants to see the propelling of the frass for herself, it seems that you will have to rear a couple of butterflies yourself, with the girls there to keep an eye on you, you can`t go wrong.

All the best to you and your daughters, Nick.

Life cycle of a Clouded Yellow, continued.

The 4th instar Clouded Yellow larva, now at it`s` most attractive and colourful stage.It will now feed at an alarming rate, consuming very large amounts of it`s food plant daily in preparation for the next transformation of pupation.

Once Again - brilliant photos - as you've probably guessed, Clouded Yellows are one of my favourite butterflies .

Thank you for your very kind comment William, really appreciated. I can fully appreciate why the Clouded Yellow is one of your favourite butterflies, such beauty. Not always so easy to photograph at times, but well worth the the time and effort one has to put in to capture this beautiful insect on film.

All the best, Nick.

Life cycle of a Clouded Yellow, continued.
24 hours before starting to pupate.3 hours before starting to pupate.

Life cycle of a Clouded Yellow, continued.

One hour into pupation, and it`s last moult.

Hi Nick, I've just read your diary entries showing the life cycle of a Clouded Yellow, brilliant stuff Fantastic photos to illustrate the story with too

Mike

Fantastic series of photos Nick, the level of detail is awesome, on the early stages of the pupation you can almost make out where the veins of the wings will be With the last two shots is the grey mass at the rear of the caterpillar/chrysalis the old moulted layer?

If I don't post again before have a brill Chrimble

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thank you for your kind comments Mike and Wurzel, apppreciated. Wurzel, you are quite right it is the larval skin that is still attached to the pupa in the last two photos, the last moult. What i would like to know is, how does it shed it`s larval skin in one piece with the silk thread attaching the pupa to the stick in the way?

May you and your families have a wonderful christmas.

All the best, Nick.

And a merry christmas to you all on ukbutterflies.

Hi Nick, we were fortunate to watch one of our Orange Tip larva pupate. The larval skin is indeed shed in one piece and the pupa twists around a lot during this process. Although it was not clearly visible to us it would appear to detach itself from the silk pad (allowing the larval skin to fall away) and then reattach itself to the pad afterwards. This must happen very quickly, as its very hard to follow. I now wish that we had filmed the pupation process, oh well, maybe next year

Hope you and your family have a great Christmas.

All the very best,

Mike

Thanks Mike, thats brilliant, and appreciated. Now all i have to do, is wait for you to capture the sequence on film.

All the best, Nick.

Great sequence of photos Nick, looking forward to the conclusion

Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas

Neil.

Great images of Clouded Yellow early development Nick . I await downloads when you get the time.

To answer the questions about how the larval skin is shed at the final stage:

It is simply sloughed backwards, sliding under the silk strand that attaches the larva to the twig (as is illustrated here viewtopic.php?f=37&t=5089 for Orange Tip, here viewtopic.php?f=37&t=4681 for Small White and here viewtopic.php?f=37&t=6245 for Large White). During this process the larva is still anchored to a silk pad by its anal claspers, but the emerging pupa has a new structure at its posterior end. This is called the cremaster, which is a hooked or spine-like process covered with velcro-like hairs which will serve to anchor the new pupa to the silk pad. The pupa has to manoeuvre the cremaster out of the larval skin and make contact with the silk pad. There is a very good video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umWwvylmlI8 which shows how the Orange-tip manages the process. Once initial contact is made, the pupa twists vigorously for a few seconds in order for all of the cremastal hooks to embed into the silk. This is all very straightforward for the larvae which are attached to a substrate by a silk girdle as well as a pad, but those which are merely suspended by a rear pad (such as the Comma viewtopic.php?f=37&t=6582 ) have to be more careful. They have to manage to expose half of the cremaster and hook onto the pad before they can finally wriggle free of the old larval skin and complete the attachment.

One day, either Pete or myself will get round to producing a life-cycle report covering all of such details.

Cheers,
Vince

Thank you Neil and Vince for your kind comments, appreciated as always.

Vince. Thank you for taking the time to answer my question on how the larva manages to shed it`s final skin whilst still attached to the twig. Your early stages photos are just brilliant. I fully appreciate the time and dedication you put into obtaining all the photos required, not an easy task. And thank you also for finding the video, just amazing. Is`nt nature wonderful.
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All the best, Nick.