Chitin is clearly amazing stuff.
This butterfly just gets better and better....
Friday, January 18, 2013
Pupal Case Found!
Chitin is clearly amazing stuff.
This butterfly just gets better and better....
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The other day, somewhere in Savernake, I spotted this - the basal section of one of last year's pupal cases (female I suspect), on one of the few leaves that are still attached (by silk). This is important as there are very few records of iris pupae being found in the wild, and this counts as a record. It was about 4m up on the south side of a shaded female S. caprea that's been used 4 years running.
Chitin is clearly amazing stuff.
This butterfly just gets better and better....
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Chitin is clearly amazing stuff.
This butterfly just gets better and better....
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5 comments:
Nice find! Looks like the pupating larva attached its pupal leaf to the stem with silk - presumably as a precaution?
In January 2011 the pupal case of a wild pupa I found in 2010 (Diocletian) was still attached to its leaf, which was still attached to the tree. I can't post images in this reply, but I give the URLs of images should anyone be interested:
http://www.guypadfield.com/images2011/irispupadiocletian113.jpg
http://www.guypadfield.com/images2011/irispupadiocletianjan2011.jpg
The leaf had been firmly attached with silk:
http://www.guypadfield.com/images2011/irispupadiocletian112.jpg
It was the only leaf visible on the tree by this time of year:
http://www.guypadfield.com/images2011/irispupadiocletian116.jpg
Perhaps it is worth actively looking for these in January and February.
Guy
Thanks Guy - now I remember you posting this a while back on UKB. Thx!
Might be on to something here... Could searching for pupal remnants on silked-on leaves after leaf fall, in December, be the way to crack the mysteries of where this insect pupates? I may be the only person mad enough to try this...
Might be on to something here... Could searching for pupal remnants on silked-on leaves after leaf fall, in December, be the way to crack the mysteries of where this insect pupates? I may be the only person mad enough to try this...
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