2 thoughts on “September 4 – 10, 2017 Kaw Valley Almanac”
This past week we’ve been seeing a lot of dark colored non-hairy caterpillars covered with white seed like protuberances… I think they might be wasp progeny growing out of the living caterpillar? The birds are chopping them up… but then leaving pieces strewn about on the car and driveway. Comments?
Wasps definitely predate on caterpillars in the manner you’re talking about, and maybe the birds are leaving the egg laden pieces to go ahead and hatch? If you google “wasp eggs on caterpillars” you’ll get lots of images of what you are describing with the eggs. Regarding the caterpillar pieces left by birds, let me know if you see the eggs going ahead and develop–it would be interesting to know!
Kaw Valley Almanac 
This past week we’ve been seeing a lot of dark colored non-hairy caterpillars covered with white seed like protuberances… I think they might be wasp progeny growing out of the living caterpillar? The birds are chopping them up… but then leaving pieces strewn about on the car and driveway. Comments?
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Wasps definitely predate on caterpillars in the manner you’re talking about, and maybe the birds are leaving the egg laden pieces to go ahead and hatch? If you google “wasp eggs on caterpillars” you’ll get lots of images of what you are describing with the eggs. Regarding the caterpillar pieces left by birds, let me know if you see the eggs going ahead and develop–it would be interesting to know!
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