How to keep Wild Indigo Duskywings over the winter?

12 years ago

This summer went so fast and I didn't even realize how late it is, but now that I have some Wild Indigo Duskywing cats eating some Baptisia australis that I took cuttings of, it just dawned on me that these will overwinter as cats. I had brought some in a few years ago around this time of the year and read online that they overwinter as cats when it's late in the year like this. Maybe they're better off if I put them back outside because all of the ones that I kept over in our other building (storage shed) over the winter ended up dying. I don't know what the secret is to having them make it over the winter, but I'm considering putting these back outside unless I find out what I should do. I think they'd stand a better chance out there if the past is just going to repeat itself.

Cathy

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Comments (3)

MissSherry
12 years ago
I've never raised any wild indigo duskywings, Cathy, but I agree that caterpillars would probably overwinter better outside.
I had some gulf frits that overwintered one year, and I left them outside on the vines. They did fine and resumed eating once the passionvines had started making new growth again in spring.
I've been reading through a lot of my books, and I can't find any information as to how WID cats spend their winter. Maybe they stay on the outside of the plant or curl up in a leaf or maybe even go underground? I don't know, but I'd leave them outside.
Sherry
MissSherry
12 years ago
I Googled WIDs, and this web site says they overwinter in a pile of leaves, so I'd leave them a big pile of leaves in a safe spot under the host plant.
Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: Wild Indigo Duskywings
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Sherry, I'll keep it outside on our back porch. You're so lucky to be raising a Long-tailed Skipper. I think that they are so pretty, but I don't think we get them up here if I remember right. I will keep raising the WID, but I'm not sure about pictures, even though I'd like to show it. My two-yr old Olympus broke down and when I take pics I use our daughter's camera. I'm so mad that I can't get closeup pics with it. I've tried and they all come out blurry. I don't think I'd get pics of the WID anymore anyway because I think it pupated. I'm anxious to see it eclose! I'm just not sure how long that will take. Sandy, Oh, so you're raising a Juvenal's Duskywing on oak leaves! Neat! Wow, it sounds like they take their good old time to develop, huh. After having it with you that long, I guess you'll become attached to it. ;-) Curt, I'm so glad to get your info about them because I like to know what I'm doing before I actually do it. I want to raise this one successfully and maybe I can raise others if I find any. Actually, now that you mentioned that they pupated in the their leaf shelter, I think that's what has happened today. I just peeked in at it and can't see the dark head; the whole thing is green and I was wondering if it was the pupa...I bet it is. It's so hard to see in there. I think it's neat how they put the leaves together and live in there, kind of like the American Ladies do. I'll be watching for it to pupate in about two weeks. Thanks for the info. That would be something to see how they eclose in that closed in space! Cathy
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caterwallin
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks, Sherry. I was leaning towards doing that, and now since you said that, it's convinced me to put them back outside because I just don't know exactly what a person would have to do during the winter to keep them alive. I think I'll keep them in the container they're in on our back porch just a little while yet, like maybe a week, and then put them out under an indigo plant before it freezes. That way if they have to hide under some leaves they don't have to hustle at the last minute since we shouldn't get a frost for at least 2 weeks ago (hopefully even longer because I hate the thought of winter coming). I've actually been working in the indigo section of the garden lately mixing sand and peat moss into the ground (our ground has lots of clay), laying down newspapers, and then putting leaves on top. So the duskywings will already have their beds waiting on them. :) I figure that probably not too many people try to raise duskywings, going for the prettier types of butterflies instead, so I look at them as a kind of underdog and like to help them. My problem is that I like to help too many kinds of butterflies and then wonder what happened to the spring and summer. It starts out being lots of fun but towards the end, I'm there rooting them on to get on with it and pupate. lol
Cathy

How to keep Wild Indigo Duskywings over the winter?

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MissSherry

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How to keep Wild Indigo Duskywings over the winter?

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