Metamorphosis

The steamy month of August brought many splendid caterpillar and butterfly sightings. Below are several of the beauties I was fortunate to catch a glimpse of.

~ I welcome identification assistance ~

An exquisite Monarch savors one of many golden blooms

 

A Brown Hooded Owlet Caterpillar works its way down a plant stalk

The lovely pattern of a Buckeye Butterfly is most pleasing to view

Distinctive eyespots are present to disguise the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Caterpillar so it looks like a snake to its predators

The caterpillar in the previous picture will undergo a metamorphosis and turn into a beauty like this

I happened upon this Burnet Caterpillar as it was shedding a thin layer of skin

Four pretty Pearl Crescent Butterflies dance atop Butterfly Weed

Newly hatched larva is camouflaged to look like bird droppings, which in turn brings little interest from predators

I returned four days later to find the brown and white larva (previous photo) had matured into this vibrant Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillar

A striking Eastern Black Swallowtail explores leafy ground cover

An Acraea Moth Caterpillar dines on an Ironweed leaf

This is where it all begins ... with the egg