Things don't always go to plan. There is a Yiddish saying, something about God laughing when man makes plans. It seems this also applies to butterflies.
Mrs Brimstone did not expect this when she left her babies in waiting in my charge May 10th. I didn't expect it either, or the other 6 similarly affected.
The eggs have been parasitised I believe by one of the Cotesia wasps which lay their eggs into the body of a host caterpillar, or as here, directly into the eggs.
The affected eggs are isolated and I can only wait & see what happens.
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Doggie mummy living in ancient York, Yorkshire, England.
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@rhoing@bkbinthecity@koalagardens I think Tuffy, or Olympus TG5, did a super stacking job here. A Brimstone egg is about 1.3mm high! I have now found 9 parasitised eggs, kept in isolation of course. Eventually what ever is inside will emerge and it will be ask the experts time. I think it will be a Cotesia, but which, and am I correct???
Correction, now have 13 odd eggs, all kept in isolation. Thereās a possibility of at least 2 more but Iāll have a better idea on Thursday when I check again.
Correction, now have 13 odd eggs, all kept in isolation. Thereās a possibility of at least 2 more but Iāll have a better idea on Thursday when I check again.