2024 Caterpillar Season – Pipevine Swallowtail

In late June I went out for an evening caterpillar hunt at Young Conservation Area. I was in for a real treat. The pipevine swallowtail (Battus philenor) caterpillars were on the move! Along with several dozen smaller instars munching away on the pipevine draped above my head along the trail, I also encountered close to two dozen final instar cats that were in various states. I found quite a few crossing the trails, some that were prepupal and also a few chrysalises that were attached to various plant species ranging from one to a few feet above the ground.

A pipevine swallowtail (Battus philenor) caterpillar setting up to pupate on a stem of Chasmanthium latifolium.
Sometimes it seemed they picked poor locations to pupate, like this one that chose the dangling petiole of a dehisced leaf.
A prepupal cat that has anchored to support itself in its upcoming metamorphosis.
And finally, a recently finished chrysalis of the pipevine swallowtail (Battus philenor). In 10 – 20 days the adult butterfly will emerge.

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