Eastern Swallowtail Caterpillar

tleetlee Registered Users Posts: 1,090 Major grins
edited August 25, 2008 in Holy Macro
My Daughter found this caterpillar, and knew I'd what to photograph it. I have never seen a caterpillar like this before. It is an Eastern Swallowtail caterpillar--looks a lot like a Canadian Swallowtail caterpillar. The eye spots on the "back" are suppose to help it mimic a snake, as a defense mechanism.


1.
357418516_4h3hu-L.jpg


2.
358010368_3VA8m-L.jpg


3.
358010551_ptnvf-L.jpg


4.
358010729_YZGa4-L.jpg
T :D

www.studioTphotos.com

"Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons."
----Ruth Ann Schubacker

Comments

  • GOLDENORFEGOLDENORFE Super Moderators Posts: 4,747 moderator
    edited August 24, 2008
    good shots,like #1 & #4 best.
    is it fully grown?
    am going to butterfly farm monday, hope to get some swallowtail catterpiller shots.
    phil.
    Phil

    moderator - Holy Macro
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  • SkippySkippy Registered Users Posts: 12,075 Major grins
    edited August 24, 2008
    tlee wrote:
    My Daughter found this caterpillar, and knew I'd what to photograph it. I have never seen a caterpillar like this before. It is an Eastern Swallowtail caterpillar--looks a lot like a Canadian Swallowtail caterpillar. The eye spots on the "back" are suppose to help it mimic a snake, as a defence mechanism.

    The patterned EYE's on its back, make it look a lot bigger.
    Doesn't look like a snake to me but rather a cute little character,
    but then I'm not a predator hu rolleyes1.gif

    Hope you get to see it hatch, nice series thumb.gif ... Skippy :D
    .
    .
    Skippy (Australia) - Moderator of "HOLY MACRO" and "OTHER COOL SHOTS"

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    :skippy Everyone has the right to be stupid, but some people just abuse the privilege :dgrin
  • teamracephotosteamracephotos Registered Users Posts: 492 Major grins
    edited August 24, 2008
    Wow I have never sen one of those!
    Very Cool... Thanks!
    Great images like number one best. They eye marking looks like an artist did it. MM
    “I love not man the less, but Nature more.”
    — Lord Byron
  • Lord VetinariLord Vetinari Registered Users Posts: 15,901 Major grins
    edited August 25, 2008
    LOvely captures -amazing looking caterpillar with those eye-spots.
    Brian V.
    Brian V.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/lordv/
    http://www.lordv.smugmug.com/
  • tleetlee Registered Users Posts: 1,090 Major grins
    edited August 25, 2008
    GOLDENORFE wrote:
    good shots,like #1 & #4 best.
    is it fully grown?
    am going to butterfly farm monday, hope to get some swallowtail catterpiller shots.
    phil.

    From the small amount of research I did, most said that it turns from green to brown just before it pupates (one said the opposite). I am going to assume that it was orig. green, and is now mostly brown. If you can get an Eastern Swallowtail butterfly and post it, that would be great too!
    T :D

    www.studioTphotos.com

    "Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons."
    ----Ruth Ann Schubacker
  • tleetlee Registered Users Posts: 1,090 Major grins
    edited August 25, 2008
    Skippy wrote:
    The patterned EYE's on its back, make it look a lot bigger.
    Doesn't look like a snake to me but rather a cute little character,
    but then I'm not a predator hu rolleyes1.gif

    Hope you get to see it hatch, nice series thumb.gif ... Skippy :D
    .

    Yeah, I thought it looked like it could be a model for a cartoon character--more cute & cuddly than menacing. I saw a head-on image of another swallowtail (not eastern) caterpillar, during my "research", that did look a lot like a snake's head.
    T :D

    www.studioTphotos.com

    "Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons."
    ----Ruth Ann Schubacker
  • tleetlee Registered Users Posts: 1,090 Major grins
    edited August 25, 2008
    teamracephotos wrote:
    Very Cool... Thanks!
    Great images like number one best. They eye marking looks like an artist did it. MM

    I agree, the eye marks do look like someone took a paint brush to it :D.
    T :D

    www.studioTphotos.com

    "Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons."
    ----Ruth Ann Schubacker
  • tleetlee Registered Users Posts: 1,090 Major grins
    edited August 25, 2008
    Lord Vetinari wrote:
    LOvely captures -amazing looking caterpillar with those eye-spots.
    Brian V.

    I don't think I've ever seen one, in person, that wasn't fuzzy/hairy in some way. It's amazing that you can find new (to me) things in your own yard.
    T :D

    www.studioTphotos.com

    "Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons."
    ----Ruth Ann Schubacker
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