As you can see from the picture, our caterpillars do take some time out to prepare to do the "metamorphosis-thing."
The caterpillars get really large, and eat like crazy. You can tell when they are about to "string up" and prepare to get their beauty-sleep. The cats will eat just a little more, then, instead of little brown pellets, they will evacuate everything they don't need by way of something green, slimy and liquid. Once you see that substance collecting around your terrarium, you then know that it's about time for the great nap.
Still cats, they will produce a VERY strong thread that attaches them to whatever it is they are sitting on. This year I have some on twigs, some on the side of the glass, and some attached to the flower pot the host plant is in. Once strung up, it takes up to 24 hours for them to finally decide to shed that final caterpillar skin. As you can see from the right side of the two images, the skin will literally split, and then is shed.
In the left-hand picture you see the chrysalis. These can change color depending on what they are attached to. The two I currently have attached to twigs are dark brown, and blend in wonderfully to their surroundings. The ones that strung up to the blue flower pot are a medium green color, much like the left-hand picture. The ones strung up on the glass are a vibrant green.
Stay tuned...tomorrow we'll be visiting the new butterfly!
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