A curious event happened yesterday evening, as i sat at my computer and opened my email Inbox to check on this week’s photo challenge, there was a scuffling sound in my scullery. A most beautiful moth was emerging after an eight week period of pupation. What a fitting subject for the topic of this week’s challenge: Beginning.
Let’s have a look at this journey of metamorphosis from squiggly worm to this set of elegant wings. In November i wrote about hairy caterpillars, with a gardener’s bias of frustration, as the hordes chomped merrily through my fynbos. The Cape Lappet caterpillars took a particular liking to the pincushion bushes –
I watched horrified as they developed in short weeks from grub size to giant sized eating machines –
This one measured 10 centimeters but under a macro lens i got to discover their fabulous ‘couture’ and to marvel at their zany looking markings.
Couldn’t help thinking that i had a garden full of morphing Ernie and Berts.
At last a sluggishness overcame their relentless appetites and i was lucky to witness the next stage of their cycle, photographing the making of the cocoon on 18 November. The leaves were drawn in close like a tent; and silk looked like spun sugar.
I was curious to know what the moth would look like, so i kept one of the pupaes in it’s haven of leaves as a part of my flower arrangements. It went from cut-glass vase full of roses, to a single stem arrangement in the last stages where it was safely stored in my scullery area. At the moment it rests quietly, but in the evening i’ll be releasing it into the embrace of the cool night air.
This post was in response to the weekly WordPress Photo Challenge. Head over to the WP site to check out other examples of this week’s photos.
Nature on the Edge 
You’ve done a very good job in fulfilling this week’s challenge, although I don’t know what fynbos are. That was a long project and you handled it well.
Now come and see my weekly beginning photo challenge:
http://fstopfantasy.wordpress.com/2014/01/03/weekly-photo-challenge-beginning/
Thanks for your comments, Cris. Fynbos is the vegetation endemic to the Cape Floral Kingdom… it has four components – protea, restios, ericas and geophytes. I enjoyed your colourful floral post 🙂
Thank you. That reads like a foreign language to me. LOL That’s all new to me.
🙂
Excellent story woven around a beautiful sequence of photos.,
Thanks Nick. Hoping the moth will stay in the vicinity, and i get the opportunity to catch the egg laying to finish off the sequence. Fingers crossed!
Magical nature, and your photos are really showing the magic!
Yes … that whole process and transformation is a complete wonder!
An absolutely fantastic sequence of shots Liz!
Thanks, de Wets. Was pleased to get to match the moth with the caterpillar 🙂
Those are amazing shots!!
Thanks Shannon.
It looks like velvet, exquisite!
Velvety it is…. and fascinating how different it’s patterns and colouring is to the caterpillar.
Gorgeous, and so perfect for the challenge. 🙂
Thank you 🙂
Wow! Liz, it’s truly fascinating to see this from so close. I love how Marcos keep reminding of us of our own insignificance or rather the significance of all these little creatures that inhabit this world. They have this power of shattering the very idea of a human-centric world view. Thank you for sharing this with us, Liz.
Thanks for your very apt observation Uday 🙂 There is such extraordinary detail looking at designs up close – particularly in the insect world. Rather like the science of bio-mimicry?
Beautiful images and Just perfect for the theme.
What a fascinating process to have observed and photographed.
Yes! Isn’t that metamorphosis an incredible transformation 🙂 Thanks for commenting, it makes my day.
I know what you mean – I really appreciate it also when people take the time to respond with words and are specific about what the post evoked in them. That’s always very rewarding….
A garden full of Ernie and Berts – I love it! Beautiful shots all around, Liz.
🙂 Sid!