www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

When I got back from butterflying yesterday I found a stowaway from the Rhône Valley in my camera case - a fritillary caterpillar. I'm not sure of its identity. Queen of Spain is a possibility, and violet fritillary is another. I had to teach immediately, so I popped it in a plastic box and put it in the fridge to deal with today. This morning I collected a couple of dog violet plants and put it in a jar with them. It soon got quite excited and showed great interest in the violets but so far hasn't actually eaten any.

Any advice, hints on ID &c.?




Guy

I'd like to see a closer side view. Could it be a dark form of the Painted Lady? They are so variable. It doesn't agree with illustrations I have of any of the fritillaries, but many of them are also rather variable.

Misha

Thanks, Misha.I think painted lady is improbable, given that the species is not resident in Switzerland and the tourists only arrived a couple of weeks ago. I can't find an exact match in my book either, which has photographs of the early stages of all Swiss species.

It's now crawled up the side of its jar, leaving a criss-cross silky trail, and is currently motionless in an inverted position on the underhang near the jar neck. In case it's planning on pupating, I don't want to move it for a better picture of the side. The side has two slightly obscure, wavy, yellow lines.

I won't be able to go down to the Valley again until next weekend at the earliest.

Guy

Yes, I had thought it was a bit early for Painted Lady. Failing that, my guess would be Q. of S. But I suppose it's now a case of wait and see. The pupa might be easier to identify.

Misha

I'll keep you posted! For now he's changed his mind and is pondering his predicament the other way up (head uppermost). The QoS in the valley feed on heartsease, so I'll take the dog for a walk now and see if I can find any of that up here. C. dia has a preference for V. odorata but I probably can't find that without sneaking into someone's garden.

Apparently, QoS need heat and dryness to pupate so the jar might not be ideal. I've never reared butterflies, despite my lifelong interest in them, and I haven't got the setup here at all. I've got to keep him alive at least until next weekend, when he can go home! Queen of Spain and violet fritillary both fly at my altitude but the seasons are so different he probably won't be in sync unless I return him whence he came.

Guy

Do these pictures help Misha or anyone else identify my caterpillar? I've been through two different books, with all species in them, and haven't been convinced yet. The bits of soil on the caterpillar are because I dropped him on the soil at the bottom of the jar by mistake.

He still won't eat any of my violets, though he is clearly interested in them.




Guy

Guy, I think it might be Painted lady too, I found this image:


it looks like the caterpillar you have. Try giving it thistle leaves and if it starts eating that, it could be painted lady then, just a thought.

Thanks, Dave. I guess I'll chuck some thistles in too - and perhaps a few nettles and other things. See what it goes for!!

Guy

After seeing the lateral views I'm still uncertain, but would probably exclude Painted Lady, which has more conspicuous yellow lateral markings, as well shown in David's pic. It is certainly different from the detailed description of the QoS larva in Frohawk's Complete Book of British Butterflies. However, Thomas and Lewington (the large format book) do stress that the larva is variable:- "some specimens may be almost black", so my vote goes tentatively for that.

Misha

I was thinking QoS too, but all caterpillars I have seen of those have dark orangey markings, not yellowish ones like in Guys pic. If it is QoS, it feeds on Wild pansy, so if it eats that, could be more a possibility, but if it eats the nettles or thistles that Guy said he'd feed it, we will see what it is then.

I don't think it's QoS:
The double yellow lateral lines are intriguing! To be safe, I'd also provide it with plantain!

Cheers,

- Pete

I can do plantain! Thistles are naturally problematic at 1000m at this time of year...

If I can't find it suitable nutrition up here, is an option to stick him in the fridge until next weekend? Will he survive?

Thanks again, all.

Guy

PS - I've just returned from post-church libation (which I like to call 'thirsting after righteousness') to find him suspended from an oblique violet stem by a thread, curled up. He's outside, to prevent excessive activity from the heat inside.

Hey, I don't have any children. I feel RESPONSIBLE for him!!

padfield wrote:If I can't find it suitable nutrition up here, is an option to stick him in the fridge until next weekend? Will he survive?

To be honest - I'm not sure ... it's not something I've ever heard of being done with larvae. Having said that, and at this time of year, that could simulate an extended cold period and would certainly reduce or illiminate any hunger pangs!

Cheers,

- Pete

I'm sure I read somwhere that QoS larvae are bolshy and often won't eat at all in captivity, but I can't remember where!- could that be a pointer?

Paul wrote:I'm sure I read somwhere that QoS larvae are bolshy and often won't eat at all in captivity, but I can't remember where!- could that be a pointer?

Some species are definitely difficult in captivity - but QoS isn't one of them. Then again, I don't think Guy's larva is QoS anyway

Cheers,

- Pete

Again, thank you, all. If he continues his hunger strike tomorrow I shall give him the Walt Disney treatment (i.e., cryogenics) and let him wake up, having missed a week of his life, in the Rhône Valley. If he turned up in my camera case he must have been on a journey somewhere, so I shall have to trust him to continue it successfully.

Guy

This is how I found him this morning:



Maybe he really is getting ready to pupate now. Or maybe he's just tired and hungry.

Guy

He's definitely about to pupate. DO NOT DISTURB ! All will be revealed soon.

Misha

Could be why it wasn't feeding! Look forward to seeing a photo of the pupa!

Cheers,

- Pete

How long does this process take? There's no change since this morning:



(piture taken through the sides of his box, without disturbing him)

Guy