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Post by luehdorfia on Oct 6, 2017 6:48:18 GMT
My aunt in Arizona has several caterpillars on her fennel plants in the garden. The location is Prescott Arizona, US, and the date is the last four days 2nd till 5th October 2017. For me they look very variable, could that be two species?
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Post by luehdorfia on Oct 6, 2017 6:49:27 GMT
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Post by luehdorfia on Oct 6, 2017 6:50:13 GMT
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Post by luehdorfia on Oct 6, 2017 6:50:46 GMT
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Post by Adam Cotton on Oct 6, 2017 8:21:29 GMT
The third photo is a small, probably 3rd instar, larva, whereas the others are 5th instar. That makes this one look different. There could be 2 species, but more likely it is variation between larvae. Black forms are known in several species, like the one in the first photo. It will be interesting to know what hatches from the pupae resulting from these larvae in spring.
Adam.
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Post by luehdorfia on Oct 6, 2017 15:03:33 GMT
@adam but what swallowtail is this? Is this Papilio zelicaon?
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Post by Adam Cotton on Oct 6, 2017 17:23:15 GMT
I don't think that P. zelicaon occurs in that part of Arizona. It's more likely to be P. machaon bairdii which is known from Prescott.
Adam.
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