A Break from Potty Talk...

[mbpi at juno.com]

Hi all...

Just some fun observations in the Field Museum's butterfly tent over the
past few weeks.

Two Eastern Tiger Swallowtail larvae mysteriously appeared within two
days of each other...one found in the crack between planks of the
boardwalk with its charming bulbous "fake eyes" protruding, by three
young and observant Isreali siblings who dragged me all over the tent in
their quest for excitement; and the other found wandering along the
baseboard of the tent...again by a young boy of about 10 with "good
eyes."   Since we'd had no adult Tiger Swallowtails in many weeks, and no
adequate host plants (to my knowledge), I assumed they had either come in
with new plantings that had arrived that week, or had gotten into the
tent of their own accord.

Both caterpillars were near ready to pupate, so I confiscated them and
placed them in two different plastic containers with cherry leaves (found
on the museum campus) and paper toweling rubber-banded over the mouth of
the containers.

Wally I (don't ask...) went into pupation the same day, attaching itself
to the paper toweling.  I then transferred him/her to one of the
emergence chambers.

Wally II munched happily on the cherry leaves and didn't go into pupation
until the next day (when I was off).  Wally II pupated on the branch of
cherry leaves...  When I returned to work, I transferred Wally II to
another emergence chamber.

Wally III (!) was discovered several days later in the form of a
chrysalis, on a dead willow branch used as rustic "decor"...again, by a
young 10 year old boy that was sweating bullets from crawling on his
hands and knees throughout the exhibit.

So far, only Wally II has emerged:  a HUGE, robust female Tiger
Swallowtail...two weeks to the day of pupation.  She got the most
notoriety, as I exhibited her on my finger while she was still a
caterpillar...much to the delight of the crowd.

We're still waiting for Wally I and Wally III to eclose...

I have to say it:  Swallowtail larvae have "personality," however
contrived...  (Now I suppose the Monarchs will be mad...they hate
"competition.")

Yes...it's VERY "hot and humid" here!!!!!  This is what happens when you
spend 10 hours a day in it...

Mary Beth
Chicago, Illinois
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