Observation date: March 26, 2017
Date notes: I found this little guy (Underwing Caterpillar) soon to be (Red Underwing Butterfly) on March 26, 2017 around 2:00pm which was the day after a Microburst (mini tornado) hit our small town. I picked him up and moved him inside because I have ducks, geese, and a dog as well as branches and twigs still falling here and there due to the Microburst. I have a 4 year old so I decided to keep him plus he was extremely sluggish as well as super chunky so I figured he was soon to start the metamorphosis process. I was right! A week later he started spinning the silk then by the next day was already forming the pupa. I knew then I couldn't just put him back outside so I kept him longer. He is still in pupa state and it's June 15th. He's still alive but hasn't emerged just yet. I've done research after research and can't find the specific duration of the pupa to butterfly state for a Red Underwing Caterpillar/Butterfly. I'm hoping I'll be able to get some information here to help. I see it's normally 10 - 14 days for most butterflies/moths but I'm not sure specifically for this little guy. Being that he hasn't emerged, it's definitely worrysome. Any advice would help tremendously. Thanks so much for reading and hope to get some answers soon.
Submitted by: DanielleStrange624
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: I found this little guy (Underwing Caterpillar) soon to be (Red Underwing Butterfly) on March 26, 2017 around 2:00pm which was the day after a Microburst (mini tornado) hit our small town. I picked him up and moved him inside because I have ducks, geese, and a dog as well as branches and twigs still falling here and there due to the Microburst. I have a 4 year old so I decided to keep him plus he was extremely sluggish as well as super chunky so I figured he was soon to start the metamorphosis process. I was right! A week later he started spinning the silk then by the next day was already forming the pupa. I knew then I couldn't just put him back outside so I kept him longer. He is still in pupa state and it's June 15th. He's still alive but hasn't emerged just yet. I've done research after research and can't find the specific duration of the pupa to butterfly state for a Red Underwing Caterpillar/Butterfly. I'm hoping I'll be able to get some information here to help. I see it's normally 10 - 14 days for most butterflies/moths but I'm not sure specifically for this little guy. Being that he hasn't emerged, it's definitely worrysome. Any advice would help tremendously. Thanks so much for reading and hope to get some answers soon.
Status: Unknown
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: August 19, 2022
Coordinator notes: This looks a bit like pictures of caterpillars of C. flebilis but it is hard to be sure . The time between pupal state and emergence varies depending on many conditions, such as species, time of year, and in the case of cared-for pupa, location. If kept outside, I would expect a larva found in March to emerge as an adult from its pupa by early July for the 2nd brood. But that is if it was kept in an un-air-conditioned area. If in a cooled area, this may throw the process off. If it is still inside, moving it outside somewhere sheltered should help prompt emergence. Please submit a photo of the emerged moth so we can be sure of the species. Some Catocala larvae can be difficult to differentiate. SAT
In the meanwhile, we can accept this under the general category of Catocala sp. JWR
