Butterflies on Fuerteventura

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Found a new caterpillar today in Tindaya, on weeds by side of lane. I'm 90% in favour of Frangipani Hornworm, unless someone knows better? There are quite a few Frangipani shrubs in our side of the village.

Click on pic for better view

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

I've revised my ID of the above caterpillar. I'm now 100% sure it is Polytela cliens which breeds on Dipcadi serotinum (brown bluebell) which are found along the same lane.

The article I found online actually talks about the populations on Fuerteventura! Bonus.

link to online article in English

pic of the bluebell I found a few days before the caterpillar appeared!

[Perrypower1]

A little egg sits on a leaf...the very hungry caterpillars

We planted Milkweed last year but it was devastated by yellow aphids.  We tried again this year and pleased to say it has flourished, infact we were visited by Monarch Butterflies who laid eggs; here is a pictorial essay on our experience.

Twenty Monarchs have flown, two casualties.  One died before pupating, one never eclosed.  We have another batch of twenty caterpillars munching through milkweed.