When exams are on the top of your head and books are all that you have got to stare, events like this one brings back some life in you dull, boring routine.
I remember very well, one sunny afternoon as I sat memorizing and learning my portion that
I suddenly noticed a beautiful black and red butterfly hovering over one of my non-flowering plants. Here I was forced to go through dull chapters and there this little winged wonder hovered over dull leaves. I wondered why? Why did it choose the dull leaves over the beautiful flowers? The answer to these questions took me into the beautiful world of butterflies.
The first question was Why these dull leaves? and What exactly was it doing curling its tummy (lower body) and touching the underside of the leaves with its rear end? I found the answer from my friend, who said, "it's probably laying eggs." EGGS!!!! I exclaimed. " Wow, that means I will have caterpillars and butterflies"... and so the next few hours went first of all in searching the ID of the butter fly. I discovered that I has the eggs of a common mormon
This particular site helped me, http://butterflycircle.blogspot.in/2011/10/life-history-of-common-mormon.html
the other research went on, I had even maintained a log book, but unfortunately I lost it.
I had near about 12 eggs laid singly underneath the leaves(most of them), I saw them hatch in the next three days, saw how the first instar consumed the remnants of the egg. Then saw them grow over the next couple of days (their earlier stages looks like bird droppings, one of nature's ways to camouflage them and save them from the predators) saw them molt, saw them shit, saw them in their defensive mode everting the red osmeterium, a bifid tongue like extension, from their mouth. They were now my new pets. I enjoyed every little changes they went through. Saw them holding strong against the forces of nature, facing birds and winds(their legs are like suction cups, they hold very firmly to the branch or the leaf). Thus they silently continued their work of feeding on my curry leaves plant. This was the Host plant of the Common Mormon. The other host plant belongs to the group of various citrus spp, like lemon etc.
One of my guides during this journey was a teacher, a nature enthusiast who came over to my place and phototgraphed them. He shot some of the most lovely pictures in a truly unsuitable condition for photography.
My single curry leaves plant was not sufficient for this batch of 12. I then built up a caterpillar house, and kept curry leaves from other trees around. unfortunately they didn't feed much on this new set of leaves.
The most unfortunate part about all this, was that none of the caterpillars survived to become a butterfly. i found out later from Sir Issac Kehimkar that they must have died due to some viral or fungal infection. caterpillars are otherwise very sturdy even though they look fragile.
the story did not end here, after mourning was over, i went over to my guide, Mr enthusiast who gave me a Pupa of common mormon. This record I managed to keep, and actually saw the butterfly emerge out of the pupa after about 9-10 days.
I waited all night the moment i realised that the pupa had undergone the color changes. It had changed from light green to dark green to purple and then finally the black with yellow spots. This was the final stage. My butterfly would emerge any moment. I waited with bated breadth for that moment, and like in a instant, too short to even blink I saw my butterfly was out of its cocoon. It was 6.05am of 27th march 2012. Such a beautiful creature freed from its cramped up position within the pupa, now lay basking in the first rays of the sun.
Here is its photographed journey.......
19th march 2012
26th march 2012
26th march 2012
26th march 2012
26th march 2012
27th march 2012
27th march 2012
I remember very well, one sunny afternoon as I sat memorizing and learning my portion that
I suddenly noticed a beautiful black and red butterfly hovering over one of my non-flowering plants. Here I was forced to go through dull chapters and there this little winged wonder hovered over dull leaves. I wondered why? Why did it choose the dull leaves over the beautiful flowers? The answer to these questions took me into the beautiful world of butterflies.
The first question was Why these dull leaves? and What exactly was it doing curling its tummy (lower body) and touching the underside of the leaves with its rear end? I found the answer from my friend, who said, "it's probably laying eggs." EGGS!!!! I exclaimed. " Wow, that means I will have caterpillars and butterflies"... and so the next few hours went first of all in searching the ID of the butter fly. I discovered that I has the eggs of a common mormon
This particular site helped me, http://butterflycircle.blogspot.in/2011/10/life-history-of-common-mormon.html
the other research went on, I had even maintained a log book, but unfortunately I lost it.
One of my guides during this journey was a teacher, a nature enthusiast who came over to my place and phototgraphed them. He shot some of the most lovely pictures in a truly unsuitable condition for photography.
the story did not end here, after mourning was over, i went over to my guide, Mr enthusiast who gave me a Pupa of common mormon. This record I managed to keep, and actually saw the butterfly emerge out of the pupa after about 9-10 days.
I waited all night the moment i realised that the pupa had undergone the color changes. It had changed from light green to dark green to purple and then finally the black with yellow spots. This was the final stage. My butterfly would emerge any moment. I waited with bated breadth for that moment, and like in a instant, too short to even blink I saw my butterfly was out of its cocoon. It was 6.05am of 27th march 2012. Such a beautiful creature freed from its cramped up position within the pupa, now lay basking in the first rays of the sun.
Here is its photographed journey.......
19th march 2012
26th march 2012
26th march 2012
26th march 2012
27th march 2012
27th march 2012 at 6.05am
27th march 2012
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