Willow-feeding caterpillars...pupating when the food supply runs out?

[schnautzr]

Dad found five dull, olive-colored caterpillars in his purple martin nests when he cleaned them out this week. He gave them to me to find out if they were blowfly larvae, and I told him they were definitely lepidopterans. I placed them in a jar with willow and cherry leaves, since these were in the nest material, and found they loved the willow.

Since the only willow leaves I've been able to acquire were the results of storm damage, the feeding supply ended after two days. On the third day, the caterpillars began fighting over the last scraps of the chewed-up, dead leaves. Interestingly, on the fourth day, I was unable to find the caterpillars. Upon closer examination, I noticed clumps of the dry leaves that seem to be serving as casing for what might be pupae, but I've not seen such sloppy pupae before.

Are these caterpillars pupating early? Is this going to be detrimental?

 

[schnautzr]

Answer: They were just regular brownish colored moths. I walked downstairs last week to feed the recluses and saw things moving around in a jar, and then I remembered I had those potentially pupating caterpillars. Five perfectly healthy moths that fed four very hungry recluses (one of 'em got away and enjoyed its high with the fluorescent lighting).