Crimson-speckled Flunkey

FOUND IN FARO
ENCONTRADA EM FARO

07-10-2013

14-10-2013

15-10-2013

20-10-2013

24-10-2013

31-10-2013

01-11-2013

14-11-2013

22-11-2013

Utetheisa pulchella aka Crimson-speckled Flunkey

This beautiful moth is very common in South Of Portugal, between end of August and beginning of October. They are very colorful and it is notable to see them. They even go nearby the beach. The Moth I got had put at least 50 eggs, which all hatched, and time by time I decided to set free most of the caterpillars because despite of what I was thinking this caterpillar really feeds fast, maybe because in the time the eggs hatched their favorite food (Heliotropium spp)  was getting out of the season. Although I first fed them with Echium spp because they hatched in Porto firstly. The caterpillar like I said fed very fast, and it was a beautiful caterpillar which there were many different pardons. Despite of what I was searching, the caterpillar doesn’t need to bury itself. Some of them buried and others just made a silk cocoon. Later they hatched beautiful and healthy.

Esta linda borboleta nocturna é bastante conhecida e comum no Algarve na altura de Setembro a Outubro em que é reconhecida automaticamente pelos padrões e cores que esta tem nas asas. Elas mesmo podem se encontrar perto da praia ou mesmo na praia. A borboleta que apanhei colocou mais de 50 ovos, os quais todos eclodiram, e tempo a tempo comecei a libertar algumas pois eram imensas pois eu pensava que as lagartas iam se alimentar de vagar, mas não, elas alimentaram-se bastante rápido, talvez porque a sua comida favorita (Heliotropium spp) estava a ficar fora de época. Contudo eu alimentei-as primeiramente com Echium spp porque estas eclodiram no Porto. A lagarta, como disse, alimentou-se bastante rápida e tinha vários tons de cor. Depois do que procurei sobre a sua fase pupa, elas não necessitam de se enterrarem. Algumas enterraram-se, outras ficaram nas suspensões da planta que se alimentam, formando um casulo de seda. Mais tarde elas eclodiram. 

Only the last Photos were taken with Nikon D3000, others were shot by SONY DSC-P200

As últimas fotos foram tiradas por Nikon D3000, as restantes foram por SONY DSC-P200