When I went to pay the rent my landlady was complaining of all the caterpillars on her Oleander bushes ( a common problem in Florida at this time of year.) I asked her if I could take some of them. She seemed a little bemused but agreed, lol.
I took about ten of them ... and yes I had to do it because neither kid would touch them, but they would laugh at me trying to gather them! :O the nerve! hehe Anyway, we broke off a few branches so they could eat as well.
I put them in a box, with a screen laid over the top so 1. they wouldn't escape and 2. they would have something to attach to when they needed to make their chrysalis. They ended up making a cocoon instead and turing into moths. But we got to watch the life cycle process and enoy it just the same. Only three of them hatched, but they were gorgeous! Here are our photos of them
Larva:
And a better pic off the internet I found ... they are Polka Dot Wasp Moths. Just gorgeous!
That is a wonderful learning experience.We do the same thing with Monarch Butterflies. My wife can spot them on the leaves.She is a nature girl.I'm a city boy.We raise them until the butterfly hatches and them Maya gets to set them free.
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Cool looking moth. Kind of scary name though. You've definitely got more patience than me, I preferred to send my kids off to have someone else deal with them for the day...lol
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