photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Pete Ganzel | all galleries >> Galleries >> doomed_cecropia > Coccoon and Larva 7273.jpg
previous | next
28-JUL-2006

Coccoon and Larva 7273.jpg

There were actually two Cecropia caterpillars present on this little Box Elder tree.
Both had been parasitized by Tachinid flies.
The one one the left actually completed a cocoon but did not pupate, dying within a few days.
The photo of the opened coccoon is the same one.
The cycle from egg laying to pupation of the fly larvae was about 7 days.
The larva on the right started to spin silk but did not complete a coccoon. It died and fell off the branch. Below, where it landed, prepupal tachinids were found in the soil.

Konica-Minolta Maxxum 7 Digital
1/60s f/16.0 at 100.0mm iso200 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
comment | share