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Several weeks ago I wrote about the host plant and the eggs of the American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis). Now I can offer some photos about the young caterpillars. The one above shows a pair of eggs on two leaves of a small pussytoes plant in a field. After the first instar emerges, he may eat the eggshell itself

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I've not observed that process, but it's a well-known phenomenon with other species. The first instar has a semi-translucent body and is very difficult to see except for that black head. Without the aid of a macro lens, the first obvious evidence of hatching is a "scraping" of the superficial layer from the leaf:

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The American Lady cat leaves a layer of cells, as can be seen when the leaf is backlit:

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If the cat leaves the leaf (or is killed by a predator), the superficial lesions heal to leave small scars Â

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At the scraping site, the early instar also instinctively begins its classic self-defense; it creates a roof of silk above its eating site. The frass remains inside the notoriously messy "nest."

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The caterpillar rarely comes out during the daytime; they are said to be more active at night. This later instar is beginning to display the rather striking spines that will be more evident as it grows. When it reaches this size, it also becomes capable of actually pulling the edges of the pussytoes leaf together to make a more secure nest.

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I believe this is facilitated in part by some natural curvature of the leaf, but the final product is really quite striking, and easily visible when you walk past a patch of pussytoes.

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Within that nest the caterpillar continues to scrape the inner surface of the leaf for its nutritional needs. This is a leaf I unfolded from an empty "nest":

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The later instar's intact nest is quite a formidable defense against the spiders and parasitic flies that plague the insect world -

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I find it interesting that when several leaves are stitched together, the larger gaps are filled not just with silk, but with some white patchy material that doesn't appear to be silk; I suspect it is some of the detritus scraped off the leaf surface. It almost looks like a decorative lace.

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Like other butterfly enthusiasts, I've been reluctant to open these nests to get photos of the middle and late instars, because the cat invests so much energy in creating the nest, one doesn't want to disturb it. But they do sometimes wander out...

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and in doing so they display their other defenses - an array of spines or hairs that are visually quite formidable.

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Whether they are toxic to touch or not, I do not know (haven't tried).

In a couple more weeks I should be able to write another post about the chrysalis and the emergence of the American Lady butterfly. Before then, can anyone offer me advice re the chrysalis: I've had one form on some tulle covering a container, but in general does the caterpillar tend to make its chrysalis on the leaves with the nest? or on different leaves? or does it like to find a stick nearby?

Re eclosion, about how many days later would it occur, and are there any signs (color changes?) that the process is imminent. Do they tend to eclose in the mornings? I have lots of experience with monarchs and can time those closely, but this is my first time with the American Ladies.

Thanks in advance for any advice from those more experienced.

Stan