Bugs – Page 2 – An Unorthodox Halloween

Tali and Wiggles.

One of Tali’s favorite things has become our daily routine of feeding the caterpillars a new leaf and taking their pics.

From Bugs 2013

In fact, she’s even taking over the picture taking:

From Bugs 2013

Sure, her technique needs a little work, but this macro stuff isn’t the easiest thing to learn with.

Wiggles has graduated from a dime size 3rd instar to a quarter size 4th instar. The eating machine that most people think of when you picture a caterpillar. One more caterpillar stage to go…

From Bugs 2013

Chompy meanwhile has taught us a valuable lesson. Caterpillars can jump. Curl up, and jump about 6″ per bound.

From Bugs 2013

3rd instar

The boss said I needed something for size references…

Wiggles, 3rd instar

From Bugs 2013

Chompy emerging as 2nd instar.

From Bugs 2013

Talia wanted to take a picture, so her first pic:

From Bugs 2013

“Getting Huge-er”

As Talia says, Wiggles is “getting Huge-er”.

After molting to 2nd instar:

From Bugs 2013

almost ready to molt again.

From 2013 buildup

Wiggles now has a sibling as well. Originally we collected 3 additional eggs, but only one has survived.

A monarch egg closeup:

From Bugs 2013

Chompy, Wiggle’s sibling.

From Bugs 2013

Of course, all this fun with the macro setting on the new point and shoot has also brought a lot of frustration with it. There is no manual focus on this thing…and that means lots of suckage.

From Bugs 2013

Seems that what I want for Christmas now is a proper macro lens for Bertha (the nice camera).

With all the bug fun, I actually did manage to get around to something for Halloween. The near annual ‘new sign’.

Wiggles Day 4, and other bugs.

Wiggles, starting to get a little color…it’s either preparing to shed it’s skin to 2nd instar, or just had. I’ll know more later. Talia was especially excited that it’s changing colors.

Caterpillars this tiny just eat the surface of the leaves. Normally, Monarchs prefer the underside fuzz, but Wiggles continues to favor the top. Can’t even get normal bugs around this house.

When I got home, there were 4 monarchs over in the garden. I was shocked. One was impressive enough, but suddenly my yard is becoming grand central.

Unlike the Monarchs from my childhood that were all but oblivious when feeding, these ones are timid and flighty at the slightest movement. It took some considerable patience to allow them to ‘forget’ I was there, and they settled down.