Caterpillar foods: Columbine

The only way to tell adult Columbine Duskywings from Wild Indigo Duskywings is to observe their host plant.  Their wing markings are indistinguishable.

5/26/2018  I found two Duskywings circling each other, and one kept landing on this Wild Columbine plant.

5/26/2018  I checked the underside of the leaves, and found several eggs.

5/28/2018  Egg

5/28/2018  By the time I collected the plant, two days later, one egg had hatched.

5/28/2018  Remains of the eggshell

5/31/2018  caterpillar leaf shelter

5/31/2018  caterpillar inside leaf shelter

6/12/2018

6/16/2018

6/21/2018  Caterpillar in a silken nest – preparing to pupate

7/8/2018  Pupa

7/10/2018  Newly emerged adult

7/10/2018  Newly emerged adult

7/10/2018  Newly emerged adult

7/16/2018  Another newly emerged adult