This is a series of three images of a Black Swallowtail butterfly caterpiller undergoing its molt. I shot it in my friend's garden. I really wasn't sure what I was shooting until I got home and put it all on the computer. Then, I got pretty excited.

This first image is the caterpillar getting ready to begin the molt. When I shot it, I thought "what an ugly bug." It was kind of overexposed, and you can see that, even though I did as much post processing correction as I could.



This second image shows it shaking of the last of its skin after it kind of extruded it off its body.



And finally, it rises in its successful completion, ready to vanish into the woods to develop into a chrysalis.

Thats amazing!

I never come across such pics,thanks for sharing about it.

Thanks, Dolly. It was my pleasure to share. I love coming across things like this. Totally makes my day.

Hey Diane,

Cool shots! My favorite is the last of the series.

James