Dead chrysalis?
jess1992
17 years ago
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butterfly_pixie
17 years agojess1992
17 years agoRelated Discussions
Just a few Chrysalises that need to be pinned
Comments (14)Button20, I raise my caterpillars in cages that are meant for reptiles. They're PVC frames with a mesh covering that zips up. You can buy replacement covers, which is good, because the frames last forever, or nearly so, but the zippers eventually won't seal up, or they get permanently stuck. I clean the frames and covers in a weak water/bleach solution, usually in my bath tub. I clean them this way several times during the season and before putting them up for the winter. I put foam rubber on the bottom, cover that with paper towels, then put the left-over containers that are filled with water (and have holes punched in the tops) on top of that. I usually put some rocks in the bottom of the containers, just because I already have some. :) I take the left-overs containers out every day, either shake the paper towels clean and re-use them or put new ones in, inspect the host plant material and figure out how much more I'll need, transfer the host plant material with cats on it to clean left-overs containers, throw away eaten, skeletal stems, and add the new host plant material, which I've hosed off with the sprayer in my kitchen sink. This takes care of any little spiders or other bugs that may be on the leaves, plus any other nasty stuff. I don't bleach the leaves - if a cat needs THAT much coddling, I don't raise them. Here are some pictures. First, here are some red-spotted purples - If you look closely, you can see one to the right pupating right on the leaf. They usually pupate on the ceiling or bars of the cage like this one - Right now, there are two tiger swallowtail chrysalides in another cage with a spicebush swallowtail. The two tigers are together in an upper corner of the cage, the same corner that two variegated frits chose. The spicebush swallowtail is on a sassafras leaf that has long since turned crispy, but it's still holding on. There are four spicebush cats in this cage - I went out to the porch and a buckeye had emerged. I got a picture of it that I'll post here in a little while, also, another buckeye had just emerged. All the buckeyes had pupated on the upper bar, like the red-spotted purple. Sherry Here is a link that might be useful: Reptile Direct Cages...See MoreAlbino Gulf Fritillary Caterpillar
Comments (8)Susan, I found the cat on a cloudy day, so it occurred to me that maybe it stayed hidden when the sun was out - the passionvines it was on are real thick, and it could have easily hidden there. I brought it in to raise myself in one of the cages on my covered and always shady porch, so there was no sunlight there. I've put it in sunlight to make its picture a few times, but it was late in the afternoon, and I didn't keep it out for long, so I really don't know if it's light sensitive, but I suspect it is. It's been eating a lot today, so it'll probably molt one more time, them pupate. Of course, gulf frits don't stay in their chrysalis very long, so it shouldn't be too long before I get a butterfly. I'll post another picture of it, if it changes after the next molt. Sherry...See MoreMonarch chrysalis - neither dead nor alive?
Comments (6)The monarch usually emerges from its chrysalis in 10 to 14 days. The chrysalis will become very transparent and you can see the black and orange wings inside. That's when you know it's getting close to emerging. I have a video on my blog of one of my monarchs emerging. My Blog...See MoreCurious black swallowtail chrysalis
Comments (1)If the abdomen is not flexible, it is done. Otherwise, I'd keep it around and see what happens....See Moresusanlynne48
17 years agojess1992
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