Starr County Butterflies
Ovipositing, 7-19-14
Egg, 7-20-14
First instar, 7-24-14
Second instar, 7-30-14
Third instar, 8-2-14
Fourth instar, 8-4-14
Pupa, 8-7-14
Fresh adult Rounded Metalmark, dorsal view, 8-17-14
Fresh adult Rounded Metalmark, ventral view, 8-17-14
I captured a female Rounded Metalmark and confined her with Crucita, Chromoleaena odorata. The next day she was ovipositing, and I was able to photograph the action. By the third day I had about two dozen eggs, so I released the female. The caterpillars emerged from the eggs 5 days later.
I kept two caterpillars in separate containers to photograph, and raised the others together. Most if not all of the larvae were raised successfully. They pupated over a period of 3-4 days, about two weeks after they emerged from the eggs. Some of the pupae were very dark, almost black, but most were green as indicated in the accompanying photograph. The adults emerged about 10 days after pupation began.
Fatal Metalmarks (C. nemesis) as well as Rounded Metalmarks will use Crucita. I was unable to find any features by which I could reliably distinguish ova or larvae of the two species.