Black-veined White - a life story
Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2019 7:36 pm
Hi Folks,
I've cobbled together a life story following many hours spent idly whiling away my time in the scrub in the south of France with my camera - enjoy:
A courting pair Mating Egg laying A clutch of eggs - here on hawthorn, 24th June After hatching, the 1st stage caterpillars form a silk nest, 7th July. They grow little until the following spring. The cats have over-wintered and are 4 mm long when Spring arrives, 30th March the following year Here others are 7 mm long on Wild Pear, waiting for the Spring growth, 30th March Here the cats are 21 mm long on Wild Pear, end of April Here, other cats are 28 mm long on Hawthorn, end of April Many cats are parasited by Hymenoptera or Diptera - here in May. The parasites lay their eggs inside the bodies of their host caterpillars. The larva grow inside the bodies of the cats while eating them inside out. The larva of the parasites break out of the bodies of their hosts and form cocoons, the cocoons themselves sometimes being parasited in turn.
The cats seem to feel a duty of protection toward their parasitic 'offspring' that finally kill them. This cat is dying after having accomplished its protective role with respect to its parasites. This cat is ready for pupation on thym, but is upside down !! The same cat has pupated on 8th June whereas the flight period is already underway since 26th May at this altitude Seriously worried about the non-emergence of the butterfly after 3 weeks pupation, I recovered the pupa. The following day the story became clear. The arrow shows the assassin: Parasite exit hole from the pupa Here is the parasite (5mm long) after having devoured the developing butterfly and exited the pupa The culprit's ID will be published when it is known.
Other Black-veined Whites do manage to complete their life cycle fortunately.
Ainsi va la vie.
The Black-veined White was killed off in the UK through the use of pesticides in the 1920s - it seems to me that their lives are difficult enough without pesticides?
Chris
Edit: The parasite is Brachymeria tibialis
I've cobbled together a life story following many hours spent idly whiling away my time in the scrub in the south of France with my camera - enjoy:
A courting pair Mating Egg laying A clutch of eggs - here on hawthorn, 24th June After hatching, the 1st stage caterpillars form a silk nest, 7th July. They grow little until the following spring. The cats have over-wintered and are 4 mm long when Spring arrives, 30th March the following year Here others are 7 mm long on Wild Pear, waiting for the Spring growth, 30th March Here the cats are 21 mm long on Wild Pear, end of April Here, other cats are 28 mm long on Hawthorn, end of April Many cats are parasited by Hymenoptera or Diptera - here in May. The parasites lay their eggs inside the bodies of their host caterpillars. The larva grow inside the bodies of the cats while eating them inside out. The larva of the parasites break out of the bodies of their hosts and form cocoons, the cocoons themselves sometimes being parasited in turn.
The cats seem to feel a duty of protection toward their parasitic 'offspring' that finally kill them. This cat is dying after having accomplished its protective role with respect to its parasites. This cat is ready for pupation on thym, but is upside down !! The same cat has pupated on 8th June whereas the flight period is already underway since 26th May at this altitude Seriously worried about the non-emergence of the butterfly after 3 weeks pupation, I recovered the pupa. The following day the story became clear. The arrow shows the assassin: Parasite exit hole from the pupa Here is the parasite (5mm long) after having devoured the developing butterfly and exited the pupa The culprit's ID will be published when it is known.
Other Black-veined Whites do manage to complete their life cycle fortunately.
Ainsi va la vie.
The Black-veined White was killed off in the UK through the use of pesticides in the 1920s - it seems to me that their lives are difficult enough without pesticides?
Chris
Edit: The parasite is Brachymeria tibialis