Little Yellow (Pyrisitia lisa) life history
Little Yellow (Pyrisitia lisa) Life History


Egg, 8-29-10

Day-old, 9-1-10
         

9-3-10
     

9-6-10
     

9-9-10
     

Mature caterpillar, 9-11-10
     

Chrysalis, 9-12-10
     

Fresh Little Yellow adult, 9-17-10
 

The egg of this study was found on Bundleflower, Desmanthus virgatus. On Bundleflower, you are never sure what you will get, for it is a popular host. On this occasion the egg turned out to be a Little Yellow.

The caterpillar was fast-maturing in the summer heat, and pupated only 11 days after it eclosed from the egg, and the adult emerged only 5 days later - meaning the journey from egg to adult took just over 2 weeks.

Bundleflower is also used by Mimosa Yellow, and the caterpillars are very similar. It may be that Little Yellow caterpillars have a slightly yellower stripe in the middle instars (i.e. 9-6 and 9-9 pictures), but other than this possibility I don't see a way to reliably distinguish the larvae of the two species.

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