Covid backyard curiosity (butterfly egg)

[redhorse]

Setting up the story- 9-26-2020
I was out tending to my Chameleons and notice a butterfly, fluttering near to outside of one of our citrus trees. I decided to explore and see what was up there.
I had to get my mag glasses since I could not see what it was doing. I found an egg. It was a single egg so I decided to put the leaf and egg in a container and brought it inside.
I have lived here for 15 years and had seen the butterflies but never knew they were laying eggs or egg (singular).
The pictures are how it turned out.
They are almost day by day shots. Enjoy as I did.

 

[redhorse]

The next week 10-6-2020
Picture 6 I found another egg and showing size difference.
10-19-2020 No more caterpillar

 

[redhorse]

10 28 2020 New baby and chrysalis.
Pic 2- chrysalis is starting to darken.
11 2 2020 we have butterfly and back in the yard.
Thanks for your time and letting me share.

 

[AmandaS]

It's so beautiful!

 

[redhorse]

Giant Swallowtail papilio cresphontes

I tend to be all over the place---

 

[salty dog]

it's not a butterfly, it's a mutated evolved covid mimic insect....

 

[AmandaS]

it's not a butterfly, it's a mutated evolved covid mimic insect....

Well then, covid is gorgeous..

 

[salty dog]

it's pretty!!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

They eat up my lime trees.
I think it's pretty cool that they look like bird poop as caterpillars to avoid getting eaten

 

[ZEROPILOT]

What I haven't seen in a loong time is a green Malachite.
Another Florida native species.