Photo: Pipevine Swallowtail Caterpillar, Judy Gallagher
We are pleased to announce the winner of last week’s Monday Nature Mystery, Seth Finkel.
Congratulations to Seth for identifying the Pipevine Swallowtail Caterpillar (Battus philenor).
Pipevine Swallowtail Caterpillar (Battus philenor). Photo: Judy Gallagher
According to Birds&Blooms, Pipevine swallowtail eggs are red-orange with small bumps, laid in clutches on their host plant pipevines. The caterpillars are gregarious in their early days, which means they hang out in groups feeding together. When they get a bit bigger, they tend to go their own way. As the pipevine caterpillar grows, its appearance starts to change as well. It slowly becomes darker and has more pronounced dots of color and longer black tubercles on the front of their heads, which look like antennae.
These caterpillars use their tubercles actively to feel out the world around them. These are some of the fastest caterpillars I know; they take off quickly when startled and move with surprising speed.
Each Monday we’ll post a new mystery and identify the previous week’s winner. They’ll receive an ASNV hat or tote bag.
Here is this week’s mystery:
Who is this?
Be sure to post your guess on our Facebook page under the latest Monday Nature Mystery post. Good Luck!
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Monday Nature Mystery: Who is this? Photo: Judy Gallagher