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The Bird, the Caterpillar, and a Mystery
December 3rd, 2009 | 
Author: 
Yellow-rumped Warblers (Dendroica coronata) are everywhere around my house, and I’m having a great time watching them hop around the Hackberry (Celtis laevigata) trees and Wax Myrtle (Morella cerifera). Both of these trees have berries, but this “butterbutt” is after something else. Take a look at this series of photos:
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I took these photos rapid-fire, not knowing that I had captured this warbler in the process of finding some “grub.” We have a little mystery here, because I cannot tell from the photos if the bird plucked this juicy (if small) caterpillar from the brown, curled-up leaf, or from one of the many holes drilled into the branch. Earlier this year in May, I photographed sawdust falling out of holes that were being bored as I watched:
These holes were drilled all over the branches that I used to construct the “Bird Lounge” in my back yard. Then I noticed that there was a wasp, apparently parasitizing whatever was in these holes:
So now I am wondering if there is any way that the result of this activity 6 months ago could be providing this caterpillar for the warbler today. Even if the timing is all wrong, or there are other clear ways to determine whether this series of events is specifically true – the bigger point is nicely illustrated. The point is that Nature has a balance to it, if left to run its course as it has for billions of years. My education about Nature’s way has been a fascinating journey, and I marvel simultaneously about how far I’ve come and how far I have to go. Once upon a time I would have “sprayed” bugs reflexively. I used to have ump-teen bird feeders with many varieties of foods, but now I have native plants bearing nectar, fruit, nuts, seeds, and berries. And look – now I even have Nature’s own meal-worms.
I don’t know about you, but at this point in our natural history when so many of Earth’s creatures are struggling with habitat loss and pollution, it feels good to host a small patch of the planet where I can glimpse the wisdom of Nature.
Posted in Birding
Isn’t that the truth! Maybe if more people begin to realize these truths, we will have a more balanced environment that we humans won’t have to constantly “manage” to keep species from becoming extinct.
I am in the process of moving my backyard to a more natural state with native plant species of various types.
Gorgeous Butter Butt photos Amber! Love the close-up of the one with the grub in its beak.
I agree that it would be great if we could let Nature do more of the “managing” since Nature does a better job that we do!
I just moved all of my daylilies to the side of the house, prepping the front landscape beds for natives. I installed the daylilies before I “went native,” so I am excited to relocate them to a better place, and gain new native plants at the same time. Hope you enjoy your native landscaping project as much as I enjoy mine.
That animation is SO very cool. And intriguing.
Great shots of the warbler with the larva. It could be one of the leaf roller species, in which case the bird took it from the withered leaf that’s been rolled up. Then again, it could have been anywhere. Still, great shots and good eye for noticing the catch.
And you’re very right indeed! Nature does fine on its own and picks up the pieces when it can, but we’re just too vigilant at causing problems for the planet to keep up.
How’d I miss this post?
Great animation of what must be the larva of a longhorned beetle (family Cerambycidae) – they’re the only wood boring larvae that push the dry frass out of their galleries to create sawdust piles like that. Nice!
I think the caterpillar is a lepidopteran (moth) larva from the leaf rather than a wood boring beetle larva. Surely, however, the ichneumonid/braconid wasp you photographed is parasitizing the latter, which also have a very important avian predator – woodpeckers!
regards–ted
Jason – I know you would have fun with creating animated GIFs – you should give a try sometime.
Ted – thanks so much for supplying the answer to the mystery!
Nature is amazing and it is through what many may consider innocuous observations that its complex structure can truly be appreciated. If everyone spent a few minutes each day to take a closer look at the interactions of the natural world perhaps it would not be so easily discarded.
Thanks for sharing your moment with nature.
Scott-I love the adventure of whatever nature presents when I just sit still for awhile and watch. Nature never fails me!
Great photos and animation!
Thanks, Jan. You know, the animations are really pretty easy to assemble, and will work in a pinch since I haven’t yet purchased the video camera I want.
I’m just getting caught up on all my sister’s posts, and not only am I amazed with all the beautiful pictures, videos and descriptions, my heart is warmed reading all the wonderful, nature-loving people’s comments added to Amber’s site. You are all a joy to read. I couldn’t agree more with your feelings of letting nature take the lead, but with the respect, support and good will you all show to one another, I think people in general could learn a lesson from that as well. Thank you for your kindness to my beautiful sister.
I’m so glad you’ve had a chance to witness the wonderful community of nature bloggers and nature-blog-readers. Hey, I think you’ve joined the ranks!