Starr County Butterflies
Undeveloped eggs
Eggs showing development
Neonate, 6-9-23
First instar (note feeding damage)
Second instar, 6-13-23
Third instar, 6-16-23
Fourth instar, 6-19-23
Fifth instar, 6-22-23
Sixth instar, 6-30-23
Pupa, 7-3-23
Fresh Red-bordered Pixie, dorsal view, 7-10-23
Red-bordered Pixies inhabit the lower Rio Grande Valley because their non-native host plant, Guamuchil (Pithecellobium dulce), is a popular ornamental, especially in older neighborhoods. Candi and Seth Welliver have several plants and, knowing I wanted to rear Pixies from the egg, they gave me several eggs they found in the June, 2023.
Guamuchil leaves and cuttings do not keep well, so I isolated one caterpillar to observe carefully, and I sleeved the rest. I observed 6 instars in the isolated caterpillar. This seemed an unusual number, so I looked online to see if this is normal. The only information I found was an article on a congener, Melanis leucophlegma, in which 5 instars were reported for that species. Perhaps something triggered an extra instar for this Pixie caterpillar. In any event, I now have something to look for if the opportunity presents itself to rear these again.
 Face of Red-bordered Pixie (final instar) |
The caterpillar gained dark markings on body and face in each of the later molts. The head capsule of the final instar of the isolated caterpillar (pictured) reminds me of a mask such as might be worn at a costume party. When viewed straight on, I suspect the caterpillar resembles a spider, which would certainly intimidate potential predators. Other Pixie larvae I have photographed were not as strongly marked; apparently, this is a variable feature.
The adult emerged about one month after the caterpillar hatched.