Lovely photos, Sherry. Your little cat is a beauty, for sure. Isn't it odd, with such bright colors, that they can hide in plain sight so easily on fennel. :-) Is this the little guy you're raising?

The moth is also beautiful and soooo big. If he were viewed against dead leaves or the bark of a tree, you'd have trouble spotting him. Nature produces such wonders!

Mary

Black swallowtail caterpillars are beautiful. Have to admit that I am a sucker for the ones with antenna, like the monarch. I think that makes them so adorable.

Variations, cats, distribution of this moth here:

http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/species.php?hodges=6599

Oh, wow! I didn't realize there were so many variations of the same species! I usually see tulip tree moths that look like the first picture, this one was different, Larry. Thanks for the link. And I live in southeast MS where many of those blue dots are.

I like monarchs, too, Iris - 'hope I get some this year. Pipevine swallowtail cats have antennae, and I've taken in a LOT of them to raise myself. PVS are one of my favorites.

Yes, Mary, that's the one (and only one) I'm finishing raising, the one I was surprised to find.

Sherry

Here is a picture of the monarch caterpillar antenna that Iris is a sucker for. ;) They are circled for people who unfamiliar with what they look like.

Well. Once again I bow my head in shame. I was talking about the wiggly long things.

Yikes! 'Must be Mothra in the caterpillar stage!

Who knew about those short pointed things? Ken!

Sherry

What you actually call the big "antenna" on a monarch has been debated. Tubercle is what works but you also see "filament" and "tentacle." I've seen Monarch Watch's head honcho argue that you should not call them "tentacles" even though his own website has a monarch anatomy page that labels them as "tentacles."

http://www.monarchwatch.org/biology/

Just for fun, here is a page on monarch cats that had extras:
http://www.monarchprogram.org/freak-monarch-caterpillars/

Mary, You have been calling me Ken for years. For a long time, I thought you were referring to somebody else until you posted something that was obviously directed at me. You are not the first to call me Ken but it has never been my name. Just stick to KC. :D

I do apologize. For some reason, I have it imprinted in my memory you had signed a post with Ken some years back. KC it is.

Mary

No apology necessary. I'm the one who has not said anything for many moons. Figured I'd pipe up now since Sherry started using it.

I thought Ken must be your name, KC, and I just didn't know what the 'K' stood for.

Sherry