Caterpillars!

[CSM]

Something different for your amusement.

Opening up my observatory I was very surprised to find a large white caterpillar crawling up the inside of the dome. Then another obviously starting to pupate, then 3 more that had already pupated. I think they must have got in when I left the door open for a while to 'air' it after a couple of days of rain. Found another on the outside which hadn't made it in and had started to pupate, then another pupa. Since then it has been a regular occurence to remove one or two every day from the outside - no more inside. And of course there are the snails which seem to like collecting in the dome ring, so that when I move it there is this strange crunching noise. Wildlife!

[ronin]

Any reason to remove them?

[ArmyAirForce]

Move them while they're metamorphisising. They'll wake up with a complete new body, in a different location and be Really confused with the world!!!!

[Beulah]

S

Move them while they're metamorphisising. They'll wake up with a complete new body, in a different location and be Really confused with the world!!!!

Sounds like me during my university days.

[sallystar]

It sounds like you have an animal sanctuary there instead of an observatory!

[chiltonstar]

Most of us are wildlife enthusiasts as well as amateur astronomers, so you should regard caterpillars as "assets", and wait to see what emerges in the Spring!

Chris

[CSM]

Chris - I know exactly what they will emerge as in the Spring. Large Cabbage White butterflies which will carry on eating my kale and other veg - that's where they have come from. What rather amazed me is that they should take the trouble to travel that far, traversing a blanket of carpets, then concrete and what exactly is attracting them to a 'building' like this.

[chiltonstar]

They are still rather beautiful though, even if they are common. Presumably an observatory provides a good pupation site in that it is away from predators (mice, shrews and robins) and is off the ground and dry to avoid mould and mildew (well assuming they don't go there because they have an interest in astronomy, that is!)

I've given up with kale and cabbage, not because of the Whites, but because of wood pigeons which take the lot. Our cat gets some, but even she can't manage to eat more than 1 per day....

Chris

[breezy]

hmmm perhaps a crunchy midnight snack???