Hi marissas,

First, I think you may have had Anise Swallowtails (Papilio zelicaon) since it appears that you live in California. They look an awful lot like the Eastern Black Swallowtail.

Second, I am wondering if perhaps there were more than the two in the terrarium. There are a number of us who've had 'escapees' so it wouldn't be a novel idea for an errant butterfly to eclose where least expected. Believe me, this is WAY more common in my house than it should be, unfortunately...(there's a thread around here somewhere about all of the funny places we've found caterpillars, pupae, etc.).

Recently, I had a Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) pupate onto another Gulf Fritillary pupa! Yep, that's right...one on another one! I should have taken a picture since it was such an odd thing to see.

CalSherry aka tdogmom

Here is a link that might be useful: My Butterfly Guide

I've never heard of such a thing, but I would think the butterflies would have to be very small since they would only have half the space of a normal chrysalis.

Here's an unusual Tiger ST that a friend saw.
{{gwi:533232}}

Thanks for the clarification of Anise Swallowtail! They really look a lot alike!

I only brought two cats into the house, placed them in the terrarium, and put the lid on. What is weird is their chrysalis was no larger that the other single one! It was green though, I think because it attached to the bottom of the terrarium, and it was near a honey colored table top. The second twin's wing was damaged, I am assuming he got the brunt of the limited space inside the chrysallia. I know it sounds crazy, it has had me baffled for days, but I know nothing about butterflies! I have never done this before, and to get twins was just a bonus. What an incredible experience it has been to watch the process and set them free.
I saw another link here where someone thought they may have had twin monarchs. He was going to look to see if there was an extra chyrsallis in the cage.

I'm not sure it is possible to have twin butterflies. The only way I can imagine it happening is if a caterpillar swallowed another caterpillar prior to pupating. The pupation process involves a caterpillar shedding its skin and becoming a chrysalis. It does not make a chrysalis as a moth makes a cocoon.

Larry could shed more light on this, but he hasn't posted lately, maybe this thread will intrigue him and he will respond.

Butterflyman;
Your friend is a lucky dog. That is a gynandromorph. Very rare and if he was of the catch, preserve, and mount type (of which this board tends to poo poo) he would be rich :)! A gynandromorph is where both male and female parts are exhibited. In butterflies where there is sexual dimorphism (females and males look different) this can lead to dramatic results. What you have a picture of, is a tiger swallowtail that was supposed to be a black morph female. Somewhere in its development, the genes for "female" became damaged and half the butterfly became male. Too cool and a once in a lifetime sighting...
-Elisabeth

Here is a link that might be useful: Gynandromorphs

Elizabeth, from the coloring on the butterfly in the picture, it looks like it is a female. But one side looks like a black female; and the other side looks like a yellow female.

Sandy

It's a female, with one half being the yellow form, and the other half being the black form. The extensive blue on her hindwings, both sides, shows she's a female.
Here's a male tiger swallowtail -
{{gwi:445062}}
And here's a yellow female -
{{gwi:457889}}
And here's a black female -
{{gwi:504976}}
Sherry

Yes, I got so excited, I forgot to look at the amount of blue. However, gynandromorphs can have a lot of blue and still have male parts. Depending on when the damage occurs they can be mosaics. Look at the link.

Miss Sherry, do the males down there have any blue? Up here they can have a lot of blue.
-Elisabeth

Does anyone have Larry's email (a poster above commented that Larry might have an answer for me)? I would love an answer to the question I posted! Thanks!

Marissas,

Best way is to just post a note here addressed, "Ladobe, I have a question for you." If he is able to answer it, he will. He has been ill, so may not be answering emails at the present. But, if he can, he will definitely respond.

Sandy

I don't think I've ever looked at this thread before. The title needed to be more specific. I found this thread because of another thread bananas started with a better title directing me here.

The pictures are awesome.

KC

Hmmm....Elisabeth, you asked me a question two years ago that I didn't answer - 'must not have seen it.

So I'll finally answer it now. Most male tigers in this area - probably 90% - don't have any blue, like the male in the above picture. A few individuals will sport a few spots - I found a picture I made of a male like that -
{{gwi:488078}}
Sherry

Thanks Miss Sherry! You are a trooper answering a question from 2 years ago! I will have to find a picture of a male tiger here with a lot of blue. That will probably take me three years! I am beginning to think that northern tigers are a different species from southern tigers. Between their plant choices and their size. Yours are huge!
Thanks again,
Elisabeth