Unfortunately it soon became apparent that we had far too many hungry caterpillars for the few swan plants we had bought. Here are some photos of the poor things trying to nibble at the bare stems.
We had a bit of a stressful time trying to locate more swan plants. We managed to buy a few little and very overpriced plants. But each time we found a new plant the growing caterpillars would gobble through all the leaves by the next morning. There seemed to be a bit of a swan plant shortage in Christchurch and ours were not the only caterpillars feeling hungry. In desperation the poor things started to leave the swan plants and go in search of new food sources.
With a bit of internet searching we found that the large caterpillars can survive quite well on slices of pumpkin and cucumber. So we transferred some of them to a box with slices of their new food stuff. Unfortunately smaller caterpillars can eat this food, but not develop enough to form their chrysalis.
The diet high in pumpkin resulted in lots of very cute orange caterpillar poop!
Only 2 caterpillars managed to make a chrysalis. One unfortunately was devoured by ants, perhaps because he formed his chrysalis on the box. But the other sensible fellow formed his chrysalis up on the adjacent wall.And finally the butterfly emerged. It sat there for at least 36 hours drying it's wings. I didn't get to see it fly away but I am sure it looked beautiful.More than 20 caterpillars, many swan plants, 2 chrysalides and finally one lovely monarch butterfly.
The efficiency of nature??
PS. No March challenge. I couldn't think of one. (Well at least not one that I want to commit to).
10 comments:
The efficiency of nature??
the proficiency of natural selection ;)
-andrew
And chance? With all its unfairness and cruelty.
No wonder Darwin started wondering.
Andrew's Mum had this problem too, I remember her being unable to find enough swan plants to feed them. It always made me wonder how they all got to be there, and how there was always JUST too many, never swarms or just a few.
Alice
"And chance? With all its unfairness and cruelty.
No wonder Darwin started wondering."
I don't get what you're trying to say..
andrew
Andrew: I am not really getting at anything particularly profound. Just observing that the inherent "cruelty" and inefficiency in nature is exemplified by the poor caterpillars that did not make it. And reflecting that I can understand the concept that apparently got Darwin thinking.
Perhaps I am also reacting to the term "natural selection". Yes I understand that the concept includes the idea that the genetic mutations occur by chance and then are selected by nature. But I wonder if sometimes some people forget that it is the element of *chance* that underpins it all rather than *selection*.
Does that make sense now?
:)
Very impressive! The caterpillars are almost as striking as the butterfly!
Where we live we just get these ugly white cedar moths with horrible hairy spiky caterpillars that give you dermatitis if you touch them and leave webs and eggs everywhere! (2 big cape lilac trees in the backyard give them plenty of food unfortunately.)
I see what you mean now..
"inefficiency in nature".. is there any reason you consider this inefficient? not trying to argue here. because I guess it depends of what you think nature is trying to achieve.
Interesting comment about natural selection/chance though, but I guess it depends how you look at it. I think of it as nature selecting the organism to survive better in nature's chance based realm..
We thought the caterpillars were very beautiful too. I hope that the the lilac trees are sufficiently lovely to put up with the moths.
Currently we have 2 new little caterpillars eating away on our speedily regrowing swan plants. I am hoping they will both "make it" and that they can reach maturity before it gets too cold. Apparently cooler weather slows down the metamorphosis process and less butterflies emerge successfully. :(
I sure hope so too!
-andrew
That was awesome Mandy.. they were so beautiful... Funny that some people think that everything has to have a profound meaning.. what happend to the simplisity of nature itself.. I suppose if something must be profound it would be the method by which these caterpillars becuase butterflies and that if you stuff up one stage of its development they will never fly or develop. I love butterflies if only there were more here... why there are none in Perth is beyond me. Anyone know?
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