An earlier post describes how the caterpillar weaves a tiny pad on the underside of the leaf before attaching itself and slowly turning into a pupa. Subsequent handling of pupal cases and pupae showed that the tiny pad of silk … Continued
About eight days after the caterpillar turns into a pupa … the Autumn Leaf (Doleschallia bisaltide) butterfly emerges. The entire procedure takes place in two minutes. The pupal case suddenly splits open towards the head end and the butterfly crawls … Continued
A few of the mid-December 2015 Autumn Leaf (Doleschallia bisaltide) caterpillars, courtesy of Maryann Vitudio, showed signs of pupating within days. They were moving up and down the stems of Common Asystasia (Asystasia gangetica) grown in potted soil placed in … Continued
In mid-December 2015, Maryann Vitudio brought a bunch of the creeping Common Asystasia, also known as Coromandel (Asystasia gangetica, previously known as A. coromandeliana) with about a dozen Autumn Leaf (Doleschallia bisaltide) caterpillars actively feeding on the leaves. The caterpillars … Continued
