The Funhouse

[Fogdude]

Otherwise known as the young Papilio Cresphontes (Giant Swallowtail Butterfly), the largest variety of butterfly found in the United States.

I have two of these caterpillars on my lemon tree. They always return to the tree where they were born to lay their eggs. We've had quite a few. These are the current ones. There are two, but I couldn't get a decent photo of one, so here is the best one, taken yesterday (11/1/2017). I think it's pretty clear why they're named as they are. I first discovered them while inspecting my tree about 7 years ago. The first ones I saw were tiny & just hatched from the original eggs. There were 5 of them on one leaf & at first, I thought they were lizard droppings, as we have small chameleon lizards who live on the tree & eat the bugs. After watching them over several days, I realized they were moving & growing, so I did some research & found out what they were. I'd never heard of them. I literally found them online by searching 'bird poop bugs'. That was when I found out they're typically called that.

[Jazzy]

I wish I had a hobby like that: watching bird poop bugs...

[Fogdude]

I wish I had a hobby like that: watching bird poop bugs...

When you have a lemon tree, it's not a hobby, it's a vocation.

[ctaulbee]

That is so strange it is kind of cool lol

[sauron]

What a weird bug lol kind of cool that they return to where they were born though.

[topmeasure]

That is one of the oddest things I've seen and interesting at the same time.

[stampe]

It looks like something the french would eat

[topmeasure]

If well prepared Escargot can be very tasty.

[VincentLupo]

Just like Salmon.

[chouette]

It looks like something the french would eat

Oh really?  

[Fogdude]

That is so strange it is kind of cool lol

Truly. When I first discovered them, I had no idea. I came into the house & told my wife I thought I'd found lizard poop on the leaf, but after a few days, I could see them changing. It's really pretty cool to watch. I assume they have developed that shape & coloring to keep other things from eating them, but who knows? One interesting tidbit is that they always lay their eggs on citrus trees & the grubs eat the citrus leaves, so they collect the citric acid in a gland & when threatened or frightened, they shoot out these two red/orange horns on their front & spray citric acid at you. I've never been able to get them to do that because I wouldn't go so far as to try & touch them, so I can only report what I've read.

[Fogdude]

What a weird bug lol kind of cool that they return to where they were born though.

Yeah, I thought the same thing, then I began to wonder why some butterfly laid its eggs on my young tree, as it definitely hadn't been born there. I guess the tree they had been born on was no longer available, so they picked mine. It's pretty cool, knowing they always come back. I look for them every year.

[Fogdude]

If well prepared Escargot can be very tasty.

Tamas, you could soak them in sugar for weeks & coat them in chocolate & I still wouldn't put that crap in my mouth.

[Fogdude]

It looks like something the french would eat

Oh really?  :-&

Probably only owls...

[stampe]

It looks like something the french would eat

Oh really?  :-&

[chouette]

[Fogdude]

I went out yesterday to check the lemon tree. Harvested one lemon (a little early) & found one of the bird poop caterpillars on a branch. I suspect this was the smaller of the two as I couldn't find the other one at all. When they're ready to start their final stage & make a cocoon, they leave the tree & attach themselves to some vertical structure, somewhere, while they pupate. I've never been able to find where they end up going, but that's what they're supposed to do.

As they mature, they get more distinctly colored & look less like simple bird poop, but they're still pretty unappetizing. This one is about 1.5" long, now.

[stampe]

Great camo