fynbosfia's Favorites

Lady beetle emerged on 24 September 2018.
See eggs: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/25260716
See larva: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/25260717
See pupa: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/25260719

Eggs over easy?

What the heck will they eat?
Date laid: 21/12/2018
Date hatched: 28/12/2018
Foodplant selection? If its wall Lichen, we have a problem ...

See their productive Mom here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/19147271

Kleinmond handmaidens (full life cycle)

5 Nov 2013:

Pairs of mating handmaiden moths a common sight these days. I'm calling the habitat wetland as I most often see them near vleiland or some sort of water body, usually in weedy, meadowy areas, roadside verge vegetation and even my own garden. So I collected a couple of pairs and got two batches of eggs.

17 Nov 2013:

The first batch hatched within five days! Now to see if ma can keep these little ones alive, they are so tiny and I'm not even sure what they like to eat yet.

9 Dec 2013:

The caterpillars are eating and growing well. There is a wild clover-like weed that turned out to be an acceptable food plant, interaction and ID to follow.

25 Dec 2013:

I am afraid there was a gap in my record keeping here, but the caterpillars must have pupated soon after 9 Dec to produce a tub full of eclosed adults only 16 days later. Hopefully 2016 will produce more to rear and annotate in greater detail.