I always consider myself fortunate whenever I get to take close-up shots of butterflies.
Today I am more than fortunate.
I managed to see this butterfly emerging from a chrysalis.
This is a Citrus Butterfly, Lime Butterfly, or Papilio Demoleus.
Can you imagine that such beauty only last for 5 days?
A butterfly doesn't have a mouth to bite nor chew.
It has a long straw like structure called proboscis that it uses to drink nectar.
When not in use, it is coiled up.
When the butterfly was young and green, it wore a 'hair band'.
This caterpillar has a red tongue that resembles snake fangs.
This is the final stage of the caterpillar, shortly before it became a pupa.
When the caterpillar was even younger, it looked less attractive.
Can you see why they are called 'bird droppings'?
I suspect this is where the caterpillar emerged from.
A Citrus Butterfly lays a single egg on each leaf.
Now that you have seen the entire Lifecycle of a Citrus Butterfly backwards, what next?
A mother butterfly laying eggs?
I am not that fortunate yet.
Perhaps you could help to complete the cycle with that image.
Happy Birthday to me!
Happy Birthday to me!
