LARVAE
First instar on marigold petal - egg oviposited 20 Septemberand larva hatched 24 September 2010
Two day old first instar - Hatched 26 September, photo 28 September 2010
Second Instar - Hatched 24th, molted to second instar on 28 September 2010
Second Instar - Hatched 26 September, molted to second 4:27 P.M. on 30 September 2010 - Shows discarded skin
Third instar - Set to molt to Fourth Instar
Fourth Instar
Just molted to Fifth Instar - Photo on 8 October 2010
Fifth Instar - 9 October 2010
Fifth Instar - 9 October 2010
Fifth Instar - About 17 mm
Strip of paper towel offered to use as a place to pupate was accepted
This pre-pupa is silked to a stem to pupate
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information ©Nicky Davis Todd Stout located female on 14 September 2010 by the Verde River, Cottonwood City, Yavapai County, Arizona, elevation of 3300 feet Ova 4 days The female oviposited on host plant, Thymophylla pentachaeta/Dyssodia pentachaeta - Fetid Marigold/ Five-needle Prickly-leaf, and on the screen of the container which was set under the dappled sunlight of an Aspen. Larva 19-22 days Pupa 7 days - One pupa was formed on a flower stem and one on a calyx. I put recycled brown paper towel strips on some flowers and some of the larvae used them as the surface to form pupae. The pupae were kept in 24x7 light. I did not mist these daily because Jack Harry told me that members of the sub-family Coliadinae preferred a somewhat dry environment in the lab. Host - click below for photos Fetid Marigold/Five-needle Prickly-leaf - Thymophylla/Dyssodia pentachaeta Other host plants listed in Butterflies of America by James A. Scott are Dyssodia papposa, Bidens pilosa, Helenium autumnale, bigelovii, Cosmas, Palafoxia linearis, Tagetes, Thelesperma trifidum, megapotamicum. Garden variety marigolds were used to feed these larvae. They ate both leaves and flowers.. One pupa was formed on a flower stem and one on the calyx. I put recycled brown paper towel strips on some flowers and some of the larvae used it as the surface to form pupae. Back to Top |