Dark brown eyespots and spiracles are also clearly visible on the pupal shell. Larvae feed on Azalea and Viburnum and progress very rapidly. The larva to the left is getting ready to pupate. Color change from green to light burgundy-brown indicates pupation is imminent. Larvae descend plant stems to pupate in leaf litter near the surface.
Pupae are a light brown with dark brown abdominal intersegments.
Scan by Bill Oehlke. This is an understory shrub occasionally reaching heights of twelve feet. Most of the plants I encounter and use are five to eight feet tall. This plant also goes by witherod and wild raisin and is easy to start from seed. I also use it for Hemaris thysbe, putting captured females in a six foot sleeve over some live stems.