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Butterfly Garden

I'm dying to look!!! (sphinx pupae)

13 years ago

So I have two sphinx cats that burrowed down in the dirt, one a week ago and one two weeks ago. I am dying to look in there and see what is going on. would it hurt them to gently empty the soil into a shallow container then put it right back in? I hate not being able to see what they became (if anything...I am hoping they made it to pupae OK).

Thanks

Shannon

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Comments (5)

susanlynne48
13 years ago
If it's been that long, it's probably safe to handle them. I would do as you have suggested because like you, I am a curious sort! :)

Congrats on your cocoons!

Susan
shannon74
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks Susan! I peeked at them. At first I thought they were gone because they had burrowed to the very bottom of the soil I provided, but they are there and one is wiggling so I know for sure he is OK. They look really cool, more like a chrysalis than a spun coccon, I guess. I hope I am around when they make their appearance. Do they usually emerge at a certain time of day?

Thank you!
Shannon
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susanlynne48
13 years ago
Usually at night, just before dawn, IME. I put a few skewers or sticks in the container for them to climb on to dry their wings. These are Snowberry Clearwings? They will probably fly off after their wings have dried. Their wings make a kind of buzzing sound when they vibrate. Cute. But you want them to be able to fly away and not be confined too long in a container so as to damage the scales on their wings when they're frantically trying to get out.

I usually take my newly emerged butterflies and moths out of the container after encouraging them to mount the skewer or stick, and put the stick in the soil of one of my small potted plants. They can dry out that way, and I can photograph them as well, before they get too active. Once they're dry they'll fly off to nectar or get some sun on their wings. This won't be the case if you raise the night-flying or nocturnal sphinx moths. I usually put them in a shrub or something so they can hide out until it gets dark. But the Snowberries are diurnal, flying during the day.

If you wait too long to take them out of the container, it can be more difficult to remove them because they will resist being handled.

Are we going to see photos?

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bandjzmom
13 years ago
Oh how neat! I would be dying to look too Shannon. How long does it take them to pupate once they have burrowed? Can you photograph the cocoons for us?
I tried my hand at moths for the first time this season after finding some Milkweed Tussock Moth cats. I provided some shredded paper for burrowing, and they pupated pretty quickly after burrowing. Now, I have 3 little hairy cocoons. Look like little bits of Brillo pad!
susanlynne48
13 years ago
Bandjzmom - how fascinating. I've never raised the Milkweed Tussocks, but now I might just do that. I haven't had too many at all this year, but my granddaughter and I call them "fur balls". :)

Susan

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?what to do with this little guy?

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