Saturday, December 1, 2012

Do you call these progress?

Let's get into some biodiversity!

I have a few caladiums now in our garden, nothing is bought but accumulation from a lot of sources. Even if they become dormant during our dry season, I always love them during the rainy months. They always provide beautiful cheerful colors, most specially when all the plants are left on their own. They might not be considered resurrection plants, but for me they are so! Their leaves will just wilt without fanfare, and will show up again coming rainy months.

But this year, they are subjected to total in-human, or shall i say, in-caladium treatment!  Last time I posted the remnants of another variety as an art, this time I am not happy with the artists anymore.

a newly emerging variety in our garden, only two leaves have emerged

Above is a very lively, beautiful growth. Despite its slow growth, the outcome is wonderful. I wait for two weeks before a leaf completely unfolds, and the above show is already more than 3 months old, with only four leaves produced. Wait till you see what is below!

 Here it is completely devastated overnight! For the first time they did that, i did not issue a warning. I just let them be because i did not see the culprit. Do you know what happens after two nights!

 These two are the thieves, they cannot anymore walk or crawl due to extreme glutony! I kept on touching it with a stick, but they didn't budge, they are too full to care what happens.

Only skeletons like this leaf is left on the younger leaves after 2 nights and 1 day. They really had a feast, and they feasted with abandon. Actually, i didn't get them out after one night to let them finish the whole leaves off. They don't look nice anymore, so i just let them to their hearts' content. I hope they get to be a wonderful, fat, big moth. And i further hope, they will show their gratitude by letting me see them before flying away. I actually haven't seen them as adults. 

Another incident is about our Cassia alata. This are the eggs i found three weeks ago. I actually loved the shadow these butterfly eggs created on that cassia leaf. 

 A small branch produced this flower buds, and the big branch sponsoring the butterflies look like this last weekend. Most of the leaves are gone, and some pupa are still hanging there. Some exuviae are also seen which means some butterflies already emerged. I didn't even see them hovering around.


A few larvae are still left, not yet pupated.  The pupa at right seem to show the design of the adult butterfly it will become. I can see the two dots and some margin for the wings. They are the small yellow maybe Eurema butterflies.

I am not so happy with their deeds, but am happy too that a lot of biodiversity are thriving and coexisting in our property. I am happy for them, because that just means our environment is still healthy for humans!

ff      Photobucket

18 comments:

  1. So glad you let the caterpillars feast, even if it did destroy the beautiful leaves. I'm hoping you'll be able to get a photo of the adult after it emerges, in the second case.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Gaia, I haven't seen the adults but they are the yellows, either Eurema or Catopsilla butterflies. Now there's again a second batch of larvae even more than the first batch. I hope they are happy in their generation, hopefully I can see more yellow butterflies next time around. By the way my other pink caladium now has 3 pink moth larvae, same morphology as the previous larvae but of different color. They are beautiful which i will post next time.

      Delete
  2. A difficult but wise sacrifice. I hope you do get to see the moths. Are you sure they aren't butterflies?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hahaha, yes If you only have seen the other kinds of moth larva, you will be amazed as there are many colors, but the morphology are almost the same. Now I found a pink one in another caladium, my first time to see it.

      Delete
  3. I wish I could grow and care for plants as you do.
    And I'm glad you let the caterpillars survive :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Colette, we actually plant those that can survive neglect because i am living in the city and go home only 2x a month. So the plants care for themselves.

      Delete
  4. Your description of the caterpillars made me think of humans at an all-you-can-eat buffet. I wonder if it's possible for caterpillars to suffer from obesity too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi b-a-g, i guess that is not true for them, as i always watch, but they stop even if there are still wide leaves they can devour. Sometimes, i even wish them to eat more to finish the still very delicious leaf, I think they are already full. They can control themselves more than us! I guess it is a good topic, get lessons from the caterpillar! haha!

      Delete
  5. It's nice to have visitors, but I would have been very annoyed at losing those beautiful colourful leaves! The first caterpillar looked very nice and colourful itself with those bright patches that looked like eyes. I'm hoping you see the moths/butterflies.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It really is annoying at sight, but because it is always like that when you see them in the morning, i just let them be. The akapulko is not very useful for us, besides it is in the edge of the property, so i am also happy for the photo-ops! You should wait for my next post, because my beautiful red caladium is also eaten by pink larvae! I also allowed them because they are so cute!

      Delete
  6. I always say if it doesn't kill the plant, keep 'em. If they kill the plant....then....adios!:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes Kreesh, that is right. I just allow the larvae to eat these plants, anyway i've already seen their beauty so why not share those beautiful leaves to those who need them most!

      Delete
  7. I don't have to worry about anything eating my plants right now...it is too cold. And for the record...if I find a caterpillar in my house on any plant...I will kill it without a second thought...lol
    thanks for linking in...I hope to see you again soon!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Of course, you will see me again because i am a loyal linker for Fertilizer Friday. I am sure no larvae can visit your plants because they are in the greenhouse this time, haha!

      Delete
  8. I agree and love to find the caterpillars feasting on leaves as they start a new generation

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes Donna, they are feasting now, because i just allow them. They look so beautiful to throw away.

      Delete
  9. I have been enjoying your blog this lunch time. I am very impressed that despite your obvious love of your garden and plants you are prepared to share them with other creatures. I love seeing the butterflies, eggs, caterpillars and chrysalises you have photographed. Whenever I go abroad I get very excited abou the butterflies I may see and your blog has brought back those feelings! You paint such a lovely picture of the Philippines. I wonder if I can persuade my wife that it would be a great place for a family holiday!

    ReplyDelete

Your visits and comments are the life of this site. I certainly appreciate them and I will make sure to return the favor. Energies are not destroyed, they are just transformed, so healthy energies be with us all, just like the breath of life!

But i am requesting that no other personal links should be put on your comments. I am sorry, but backlinks give me some problems, so i might not publish them.Thank you very much for understanding.