Abbott Ecology

 Some updates:  The ladybugs didn’t make it. I think the pill bugs in the enclosure killed most of their food sources and laying grounds.  Moss didn’t make it - twice.  Mantis escaped - twice Rhino beetles are still going strong Pond is coming along nicely. I'm working on determining where the best placement for plants would be based on the pond's soil, sunlight, and toxicity to animals. Some of the plants, such as the mandevilla can cause stomach distress to dogs, so I want it up on the support system for the next time we foster puppies. I attempted to keep lady bugs.  I attempted to keep moss.

I have a few biology projects currently ongoing, some entomology-related, some plant, some amphibian. My specimen collection is growing Yellowstriped Armyworm June 17th - armyworm caterpillar found eating my taro. Captured and kept in a glass jar of substrate and fed taro + monstera leaves. (top two pictures) July 6th - armyworm grew to 4.5cm and turned green, then dug itself into the substrate to pupate (middle left picture) July 9th - I dug it up, incorrectly assuming that it would already be a pupa. Instead it was shriveled down to about 2cm and looking pretty gnarly. (middle photo) July 11th - It successfully pupated despite my intrusions and was transferred into the butterfly enclosure. (middle right photo) July 24th - We have a moth! It lets me hold it. It never once flew away from me. (lower two photos) July 29th - Wow, it already died. I was going to give it a different fruit every day of its celebate life but I guess grape, orange, and apple is the most that an armyworm m...