"A CATERPILLAR IS BORN"

In a miniature world that eludes most of us, there are magical and wondrous events taking place. Below, the tiny
eggs of the Promethea Moth, fertilized by the adults and deposited neatly in rows by the female just a short 10-14
days prior, begin their amazing journey that is so important to sustaining their species. As seen in
the second row of photos, wee caterpillars, called the first instar, chew their way out of the safety of
their incubator and scurry off to join their kin to dine on leaves of their host plant.

For perspective, the ova measure a few millimeters in girth while the emerging caterpillars, a whopping 4-5 mm in length. The young
will progress through 5 stages (instars) where they will shed their skin each time in order to grow new. Each instar
a bit different and larger then the preceding. The full grown caterpillar will spin a cocoon, wrap itself in a leaf,
as is the case in the Promethea, then sleep through the winter (diapause). In late spring of the following year,
the beautiful adult will awaken to eclose from the cocoon and begin the cycle anew.

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