I've seen, read about wasp depositing eggs/larvar on cats. But never would thought I would witness it in person. The hawkmoth's cats. I rescued a few days ago was doing well, so I thought. Just this morning it behaves as if something wasn't quite right? I checked on it just now and this is what I've found! I can see the tiny larvar's movement on my poor cats.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/866030/
If I were to use a twizer and plug those little larvar off the caterpillar, would it survive? Any help would be appreciated.
Poor little guy!
Those white things are the wasp cocoons so go ahead and try it, maybe it will work. We just don't know how many of those nasty suckers are inside of the cat.
This is an ineresting article:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/06/990622055654.htm
Bummer...but I say it's worth a try to remove those cocoons too.
Keep us posted.
~ Cat
Thanks for the replies. I'll remove the cocoons and keep you updated.
Kim
The cat. after the cocoons removal...it "bled" a little, I hope it will be okay.
Aww, I htink he's ready to pupate....his tail is going away.
Good job Lily! Hope he makes it!
Did you stomp on the cocoons?
No, I simply sent them to wasp heaven via rubbing alcohol bath! Arrgh...alcohol pool that is.
Haha, good job!
That article said the plant gives off a chemical that attracts the wasps.....so the cats don't have much of a chance unless we find them when they are really small.
Makes me think the milkweeds might do the same thing because the wasps are always patroling my mw.
You know, I've seen those wasps about more than I care to see. I've so many butterflies hostplants, parsleys, dills, milkweeds and a whole gamut of others. But I haven't seen many cats. at all this season.
I haven't either....and I haven't seen one single BST at all! My Dill plants are 5' tall and just waiting. I patrol them regularly for asassin and stink bugs, but that's all I'm finding on them. I sure hope it pick s up in the fall, I miss the cats!
I missed them too. I've seen some sulphers, EST, RDP, hairstreaks, spicebush ST. one G.F. but no Monarch yet. Their season won't begin until the Fall?
I usually see them all summer but really picks up in the fall when they are heading south. They lay eggs along the way.
The tricky part is to get them out the door before it gets cold.
I have 1 GST that is on my lemon. I had to tie some netting around him and the branch....the cutting would wilt so fast, it was awful.....I wouldn't have eaten it! lol
I'm relieved to see your posts, my butterfly friends, because I've been wondering about not seeing any BST cats on my dill plants or on my parsley plants. I've only raised two cats so far, and last year my plants were crawling with them. I have GF cats on my passionvine though. But where are the BST's?
I have three Black STs but they came with the herbs I bought at the USF Butterfly Fest. I planted fennel, dill, and parsley so I'll see if I get any new cats in the near future. The dill is looking a little sad right now, but the other plants look good enough for mommy butterflies.
By the way, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that's tried to perform surgery on her caterpillars.
I'm really concerned about my cat. Only hours since I removed the cocoons, there were 4 more found, just now. I removed them too.
This is the sheer number of those cocoons collected.
Well, the wasp laid eggs in your caterpillar. They hatch and eat the inside of the cat. Then, they make that cocoon thing you see. So the reason more showed up was probably because they hadn't made their cocoon yet, but they were already inside the cat. I hate to say it, but if they're eating his insides, he may not be able to pupate.
Good God that is Horrifying! I stomped on a wasp today that I saw in the garden.....
Since I last posted, I found another 3 of those cocoons! The cat. is discolorated. Indeed, it's a horrifying thing for the cat.!
I'm sorry for what you're seeing Kim, I know, it makes you feel so bad. You've been awfully good to the little guy, but it sounds like the odds are against him. I hate those parasitic wasps; it's hard to believe they were created to do something so horrible to other creatures. You've done your BEST, you're such a good person, but old Mother Nature has a plan, strange as it sometimes seems to us mere mortals..........
Thank you, Thea for the comforting thought. I wished if there is something else I can do. Much like you said, mother nature is hard for us to understand, sometimes.
Kim
Kim, I'm so sorry to see this happen to your beautiful caterpillar! What heartbreak.
Cathy
oh so sorry Kim
Kim,
So sorry about that caterpillar. Those dratted stats about how only about 2% of eggs ever make it to adulthood are a real bummer so every one we raise and release that does is a wonderful thing :o)
~ Cat
I had one that I rescued from those things, and to my knowledge he make it ok. So keep hope :0)
sp_TX, did you pick the cocoons off of your cat.? I did yesterday, then it recurs! Thanks everyone for your warm thought and support. I'm so torn don't know what is best for my cat.
This is a pix taken a little while ago. These cocoons keep coming from within.
Kim
This is so sad to see!
Me too, Kristi. 2% survival... Oh how sad!
Kim
Yes, I hand picked them off, but couldn't find the "cleaned up" picture.
I didn't see them come back. Your poor fella is loaded with them. I hope he makes it.
_T
Thanks T. I'll keep on working on ridding those nuisanes tiny balls!!!
These pictures give me the heebie jeebies. It's horrible to think of the torture these poor babes must feel.
Good news....I have 5 BST's in chrysalis in the BF cage. Let's keep our fingers crossed that they aren't infected.
I happened to see a single BST flitting around the fennel one day and sure enough, she laid eggs. I was able to move all I found into the cage, hopefully before anything got to them. But I haven't seen a one since. Something definitely doesn't seem right. No one has vistited my parsley, dill or rue this year. An entire bed of milkweed is in full bloom but no cats. Haven't had a monarch cat in months.
ewww.. sorry about the cat. I had the fly swat out today killing wasps. Need to go out early in the am and spray one of their nests. Before butterflies and hummers are about.
Kim, if your cat is still alive, it may be better just to put him out of the misery. After they eat so much of the insides there isn't a chance he will have a normal pupation. When I have a worse case situation with a cat, I put it in the freezer. The body temp lowers and they just don't wake up. I don't think I could do what you are trying and know he is suffering. Plus, what if your wasp cocoons start hatching??
You have done a great job by destroying those that you have removed, just think how many other cats you have saved that fate!
Oh Lord, this thread has been quite an education. A little more than I wanted to know, though.
I am not sure exactly what role parasitic wasps play in the environment, but they must have one. Still, it is hard to see any creature suffer such a horrible fate. Thanks for trying to save him. I hope I never see one of these "cats" in such a horrendous condition. I have enough to worry about with the animals I work with!
Kim, I just saw this thread. Sorry to be late.
Is your Cat Castle outside? Or do you keep it inside?
See this link for info on the type of wasp that may be doing that.
These wasp are VERY small, and I've seen them in my back yard, and tried photographing them, but they're too small for my camera to focus.
If you keep your cat castle outside, then there's also a very good chance that these tiny wasp can go right through the larger mesh of the tent......
Click on the tab called IMAGES for more images of these wasp.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/170
Also -- these are the same types of parasitic wasp that ruined my Praying Mantis seed case. I saw the adult staying around the seed case for a few days, before I realized what it was, and what it was doing. It was laying eggs inside the case. Guess what? No praying mantis' for me this year. (sigh)
sorry,
pf
This message was edited Jun 30, 2008 12:44 PM
This message was edited Jun 30, 2008 12:45 PM
This message was edited Jun 30, 2008 12:49 PM
Wow, pford, I didn't know those were wasps!!! I have them around too, and last year I witnessed the horrible use they made of the sphinx moth cats. Thanks for the info!
Kim, did he make it?
No, fly__girl, my cat. didn't make it. It apparently stopped eating (for 3 days), but wasn't able initiate the pupation process? A rain came with high wind, the cage got toppled, I found my cat. lifeless. Though, there were two of those wasp's cocoons survived and clinged onto the brug's seedling leave that I had in there...
Kim
Oh, I'm sorry to hear it. Daxx those wasps!
