BROWN-BANDED SKIPPER LIFE CYCLE STUDY

Barbados Cherry or Manzanita - Malpighia glabra is common to abundant throughout the Lower Rio Grande Valley, and is the host plant for Brown-banded Skipper - Timochares ruptifasciatus.

Day-1 (8/16/08) A Brown-banded Skipper - Timochares ruptifasciatus is found oviposting on Barbados Cherry or Manzanita - Malpighia glabra.

Day-2 (8/16/08) from when the egg was laid. The egg has turned from a milky-white to orange.

Day-4 (8/20/08) from when the egg was laid, the caterpillar has eclosed, beginning Day-1. The caterpillar is 2mm long.

Day-7 (8/23/08) from when the egg was laid, Day -4 from eclosing. The caterpillar has made a nest by rolling itself up in a leaf.

Day-7 (8/23/08) from when the egg was laid, Day -4 from eclosing. The caterpillar's nest was opened in order to measure the caterpillar. The caterpillar is 3mm long.

Day-9 (8/25/08) from when the egg was laid, Day-6 from eclosing. The caterpillar is 5mm long.

Day-11 (8/27/08) from when the egg was laid, Day-8 from eclosing. The caterpillar is 7mm long. The caterpillar's head has turned brown.

Day-14 (8/30/07) from when the egg was laid, Day-11 from eclosing. The caterpillar is 9mm long.

Day-16 (9/1/08) from when the egg was laid, Day-13 from eclosing. The caterpillar is 10mm long. The caterpillar has always remained in a nest since the day it eclosed. The caterpillar comes out at night to feed, then rolls a nest and stays in the nest throughout the day.

Day-19 (9/4/08) from when the egg was laid, Day-16 from eclosing. The caterpillar is 14mm long. A white pattern is beginning to form on the head.

Day-24 (9/9/08) from when the egg was laid, Day-21 from eclosing. The caterpillar is 16mm long.

Day-27 (9/12/08) from when the egg was laid, Day-24 from eclosing. The caterpillar is 17mm long. The caterpillar has begun to not completely close its nest.

Day-28 (9/13/08) from when the egg was laid, Day-25 from eclosing. The caterpillar is 17mm long. Overnight, the caterpillar went into another instar and the caterpillar's head has turned mostly white with a dark patern on top of the head.

Day-29 (9-14-08) from when the egg was laid, Day-26 from eclosing. The caterpillar is still 17mm long.

Day-31 (9/16/08) from when the egg was laid, Day-28 from eclosing. The caterpillar is 20mm long.

Day-34 (9/19/08) from when the egg was laid, Day-31 from eclosing. The caterpillar is 22mm long.

Day-40 (9/25/08) from when the egg was laid, Day-37 from eclosing. The caterpillar is 23.5mm long.

Day-43 (9/28/08) from when the egg was laid, Day-40 from eclosing. The caterpillar has formed a chrysalis, beginning Day-1 as a chrysalis.

Day-51 (10/6/08 at 2334hrs) from when the egg was laid, Day-48 from eclosing, Day-8 as a chrysalis. The eyes have remained green until today, when they turned pink.

Day-52 (10/7/08 at 1616hrs) from when the egg was laid, Day-49 from eclosing, Day-9 as a chrysalis. The eyes have begun to turn purple, overnight.

Day-52 (10/7/08 at 2221 hrs) from when the egg was laid, Day-49 from eclosing, Day-9 as a chrysalis. The chrysalis is very slightly darkened. The eyes are totally purple.

Day-53 (10/8/08 at 0824hrs) from when the egg was laid, Day-50 from eclosing, Day-10 as a chrysalis. The extreme darkening of the chrysalis is indicative of imminent emergence.

Day-53 (10/8/08 at 1107hrs) from when the egg was laid, Day-50 from eclosing, Day-10 as a chrysalis. The butterfly has loosened itself from the inside of the chrysalis, getting ready to emerge.

Day-53 (10/8/08 at 1302hrs) from when the egg was laid, Day-50 from eclosing, Day-10 as a chrysalis. The butterfly has emerged (about 20 seconds prior to this photo).

Day-53 (10/8/08 at 1302.5hrs) from when the egg was laid, Day-50 from eclosing, Day-10 as a chrysalis. The butterfly is pumping fluids to its wings.

Day-53 (10/8/08 at 1306hrs) from when the egg was laid, Day-50 from eclosing, Day-10 as a chrysalis. The butterfly is beginning to dry; its wings are pretty much filled out.

Day-53 (10/8/08 at 1319hrs) from when the egg was laid, Day-50 from eclosing, Day-10 as a chrysalis. The butterfly is ready to be released. Notice how very dark the butterfly is. It takes a few days for it to lose this darkness and gray in the outer part of the upper forewings, and become the two-toned brown we all are familiar with.

Day-53 (10/8/08 at 1325hrs) from when the egg was laid, Day-50 from eclosing, Day-10 as a chrysalis. The Brown-banded Skipper - Timochares ruptifasciatus has been released on Barbados Cherry or Manzanita - Malpighia glabra, where the egg was found in our yard.