Strange caterpillar

[James Hanlon]

The caterpillar is Papilio glaucus (eastern tiger swallowtail). They love
tuliptree as well. Definitely try an nurse it back to health. Place it on a
tuliptree or ash tree as soon as possible, or place the foodplant in water
covering all entries to the water.

On second thought, if the caterpillar is brown as opposed to bright green
which it looks like it is), it is in the prepupa stage and is wandering in
search of a place to pupate. If it is brown, place it in a small paper lunch
bag, and set the back on top of something soft. It will hang within 24
hours, and pupate within another 24 hours.

Once the caterpillar is suspended, you can cut the paper (4 inch square area
+- around the pupa) out and tape the paper anywhere for observation. Make
sure the two pointed ends are placed upwards.

Jim Hanlon

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu]On
Behalf Of RWACASER
Sent: Sunday, June 25, 2000 2:49 PM
To: leps-l at lists.yale.edu
Subject: Strange catapillar



When I got into the car today, I felt something crawling on my neck. I
hurled
it onto the car floor not knowing what it was. I don't recall ever seeing
one
like it before. Can anyone identify it and tell me what it eats. Should I
try
to nurse it back to health or return it to the wild? This is in Dallas,
Texas.
I had walked under pecan, ash and pear trees.

A picture can be found at:
http://hometown.aol.com/rwacaser/myhomepage/photo.html

Thanks...