Wow, neat! They really do look like bird droppings, huh! I get Pearl Crescent butterflies here, but I don't have host plants for them. Before I knew better, I saw that asters is their host plant. Back then an aster was an aster was an aster to me, so I bought a dozen asters (only four of which are now still living), but I don't think they're the right kind. I've never seen cats on them. I'll have to work on this some other year....already too much to do this year. Thanks for showing us to nice picture!
Cathy

Cathy - you and me both. I have an aster and while it's a great nectar plant (for which I got it), I've yet to see a Pearl Crescent cat on it. I have a lot of PCs in the garden, and there could be some wild aster in my yard that I'm unaware of (I have a little mat growing one that doesn't pop up until late summer that the Dainty Sulphurs love to nectar on). I would imagine the native aster species would be the best ones to use as host plants. I also imagine the caterpillars are so small it is difficult to actually "find" them on the plant.

I see evidence of something chewing on them, but have not found any cats. I imagine it's a geometrid cat of some kind. The leaves on mine are very robust and tough - wouldn't think that would make for a good dinner either.

The only thing I dislike about the aster I have is that it blooms very late (as most asters do), but the flowers don't last very long on it. It is a beautiful plant in bloom, to say the least.

How are you doing? Have you got everything planted yet? I haven't for sure. For one thing, it's been so darned wet here, I can't get anything in the ground!

I saw that page the other day when I was looking for cats that resembled bird droppings, and you're right, it is pretty cool. They have really built up that site nicely since they started it a few years ago, haven't they?

Susan

Now those are some real bird dropping cats!
MissSherry