Monday, October 03, 2005

A visual challenge

Here's the lattice-work fence [probably bamboo, not wood] to which the Black Swallowtail caterpillar has attached itself in preparation for becoming a pupa or chrysalid. As of 1:30 pm today, when this photo was taken, pupation had not yet occurred.

Challenge: Can you find the caterpillar on the latticework?

Hint 1. It's green, about the same green as the background plants; the other colors don't show.
Hint 2. It's in the upper half of the photo.
Hint 3 It's just to the left of the only piece of latticework that is vagely parallel to the rusty metal support at the right.
Final hint: It's hanging on the underside of a piece of latticework going from upper left to lower right.

Found it? It's hard, even in real life when you can see the colors and spots. But that's good. This is the most vulnerable part of its life cycle. How one of the many birds in Shakespeare Garden would love to make a meal of it.