"LIFE CYCLE" of the SPHINX MOTH

I found this little baby caterpillar on a wild vine while working in my yard.  He ate so much and grew so big, so fast.  He was very shy and would pull his little head in as far as possible and clutch his six little hands together...as if praying I would just go away.  Once he stopped eating, he began to run around and around the sand at the bottom of the container.  It was as if he were trying to get away from himself and what was going on inside his body.  Humans romanticize the transformation from caterpillar to moth or butterfly, but I can tell you it must be very frightening and even painful for them to experience.  As his body began to contract and harden, he would writhe and thrash as if in pain.  Once his body had become the brown chrysalis, only his torso would move back and forth periodically.  After waiting for almost a month, the exquisite Sphinx Moth emerged.  (One of the species in my "Life Cycles" Exhibit displayed in Children's Museum of Houston and San Antonio Children's Museum.))

BABY CATERPILLAR 

MATURE CATERPILLAR

"PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, LET THEM GO AWAY!"

CHANGING INTO CHRYSALIS

CHRYSALIS

EMERGING FROM CHRYSALIS

BEAUTIFUL LARGE EYES

UNDERSIDE VIEW OF WING

TOP VIEW OF WING

"LIFE CYCLE" of the GULF FRITILLARY BUTTERFLY

This was the first butterfly I raised.  I have a lot of Purple Passion Vines, so I often see them flitting about my yard in pairs.  One of the vines is growing across the window behind my computer screen and I watch them laying eggs almost daily.  Of course, I also see the anole lizards darting across the outside screen hunting.  The spots on the underside of the butterfly wings appears white, but is actually a silver metallic color.  (Another one of my "Life Cycles" Exhibit species displayed in Children's Museum of Houston and San Antonio Children's Museum.)

MATING

LAYING EGG

EGG

MATURE CATERPILLAR

CATERPILLAR CHANGING INTO CHRYSALIS

CHRYSALIS WITH SHED SKIN AT TOP

UNDERSIDE VIEW OF WING 

TOP VIEW OF WINGS

"LIFE CYCLE" of the "SUNFLOWER" PATCHWORK BUTTERFLY

The family I raised were very active on a tall wild sunflower plant in my backyard wildlife habitat.  I was fascinated there were so many eggs in one place.  Most other butterflies lay one egg at a time, with the caterpillar living a solitary life.  But these little patchworks are a very close little family.  As caterpillars, they travel in a group from one leaf to another, until they get too big for too many to fit.  Their cocoons are very small, as are the little butterflies that emerge.  (Also part of my "Life Cycles" Exhibit displayed in Children's Museum of Houston and San Antonio Children's Museum.)

MATING

                                     

EGGS

TINY BABIES COMING OUT OF EGGS!

BABY CATERPILLARS TRAVEL TOGETHER IN GROUPS

ONLY A FEW FIT ON ONE LEAF WHEN THEY GET BIGGER

CATERPILLAR TURNING INTO CHRYSALIS & A CHRYSALIS WITH SHED SKIN AT TOP

SINGLE TINY COCOON

WHAT A FACE!

"LIFE CYCLE" of the IO MOTH

I raised this handsome guy from a baby and learned a lot about him as he grew.  As a caterpillar his defense mechanism is the fact that the pointed barbs on his body STING when touched.  A fascinating fact:  As an adult, they have no mouth parts.  In other words, they do NOT eat once they become a winged moth.  They live to love to live.  (This series is part of the "Life Cycles" Exhibit displayed in Children's Museum of Houston and San Antonio Children's Museum.)

EGGS

BARBS STING WHEN TOUCHED!

CUTE BELLY FRECKLES!

CLOSING LEAF WITH SILK TO MAKE COCOON FOR CHRYSALIS.

INSIDE EMPTY COCOON, SHOWING CHRYSALIS AND SHED FACE MASK.

SIDE VIEW OF CHUBBY LITTLE GUY JUST EMERGED.

COOL LARGE EYES AND FEATHERED ANTENNA.

VIEW WITH WINGS CLOSED.

"LIFE CYCLE" of the SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY

These photos are from the beautiful Swallowtail Butterfly I raised from my own backyard wildlife habitat. (The series is also part of my "Life Cycles" Exhibit displayed in Children's Museum of Houston and San Antonio Children's Museum.)

MOTHER LAYING EGG.

SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY EGG.

TINY BABY CATERPILLAR.

THREE STAGES OF CATERPILLAR GROWTH.

DEFENSE ORGANS FROM HEAD POCKET, EMIT STRONG ODOR WHEN FRIGHTENED!

CATERPILLAR PREPARING FOR CHANGE TO CHRYSALIS & NEW CHRYSALIS.

JUST EMERGED FROM CHRYSALIS.

READY FOR FIRST FLIGHT!

"LIFE CYCLE"of the LADY BUG

Lady Bugs go through a transformation similar to a butterfly.  Their larvae stage looks completely different from their final stage after transforming in a chrysalis into a winged beetle.  She is a predator in all stages of her life, so is very beneficial to a garden's insect balance.  (These photos are part of the Life Cycles Exhibit displayed in Children's Museum of Houston and San Antonio Children's Museum.)

LADY BUG EGGS

LARVAE STAGE (similar to caterpillar stage of a butterfly)

LARVAE TURNING INTO CHYRSALIS

CHRYSALIS STANDING UP WHEN STARTLED

EMPTY CHRYSALIS

LADY BUG SHOWING HIDDEN WINGS