Tailed Jay Caterpillar (stages)
Graphium agamemnon
22.5726, 88.3639
Field Notes
Description:
As you can see in the last photo...it looked like a bird dropping but had a white forked appendage sort of outgrowth at one end. The second photo was taken on 10 April and it is clear it has grown. It is now green and quite a grub! Just hope no sparrow gets it for breakfast. It had rained heavily last night but it seems happy enough.
The first photo shows it has grown longer; taken on 11 April.
Habitat:
Polyalthia longifolia tree outside my house. The only one on this tree.
Notes:
I had not known that Polyalthia longifolia was a host tree for ANY caterpillar so on my walks I checked out a few others. Small dark caterpillars like in the third photo were happily chomping away. Live and learn...I guess!
I hope I can track it till the adult emerges..
just found out that this may be a Tailed Jay caterpillar.
http://my-butterfly-garden.blogspot.in/2012/05/common-jay.html
We do have Tailed Jays around. Maybe I will get to see it become one.
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