Donald Jedlovec Photography

Home      Nature      Macro Photography

Gulf Fritillary

This gallery features the larval, pupation and butterfly stages of the Gulf Fritillary Butterfly. Larva were provided by Naturalist Jan Southworth.
This gallery features the ever growing larva and the emergence from the chrysallis of a new Gulf Fritillary Butterfly.
Here the caterpillar attaches itself to a twig - in this case what is left of the very host plant (Passion Flower) it has consumed. And then, right before your eyes in glorious full frame-images available in 12 megapixels, sheds its catterpillar skin to expose the chrysallis.

Pipevine Swallowtail

Featured here is the lifecycle of the Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly. Here again, the eggs, larva, and technical assistance was provided by Naturalist Jan Southworth.
As you can see, the eggs start out no larger than the thickness of a penny! For this species the host plant is Dutchman's Pipevine. The voracious 'Cats devour every morsel. They attach themselves with a silk 'harness' prior to forming a chrysallis.
The caterpillar works its way out of its skin to reveal the chrysallis. Check this site periodically for butterfly emergence photos - of the four I raised from eggs only one has emerged and that was some six months after pupation!
Praying Mantis
 
This project was inspired by the Bug of the Month workshop offered by Sarah Shaffer. Sarah can help you if you are interested in raising some of your own or learning more.
 
Here you can view the life progress of a praying mantis, which emerges from the egg case as an 1/8 inch long baby along with scores of siblings, and grows to a four-inch long cricket eating monster!  It was a challenge finding the right sized prey to keep pace with these fast growing mantises - fruit flies when they are tiny, crickets of increasing size as they grow, but no spiders, which can bite and harm the mantis. Hope you enjoy these images!
Monarchs
 
This collection of images was taken in and around the Nectar Garden at Coyote Hills Park of the East Bay Regional Park District. Milkweed is the host plant for this species. The eggs are layed on it, the larva hatch on it, and proceed to consume all available milkweed vegetation until forming a chrysallis.