Great pictures (as always) Sherry, and I think you have a good plan until you know for sure if they want go through or not (although in the frozen north they don't always form a hibernaculum unless they do intend to winter over). Overwintering Limenitis are usually 1st to 3rd instar, although some we found suggested very late 3rd or early 4th, and they will come out of their hibernaculum on warmer sunny days during winter for a looksee and maybe to munch even a dormant plant a little. So leaving their home attached to a living plant is better unless you intentionally hold them over cold enough that they won't come out. Biggest problem with holding over hibernaculum indoors is dessication if you don't keep the humidity within a specific range. Too low dessication - too high mold/mildew.

Some of our favorite deep winter lep outings was to snowshoe or Nordic ski in to favorite spots for any the of different species we had local of this genus to look for their hibernaculum to bring home and put in cold storage for spring. While we all had our eyes trained to find hibernaculum even when the plants were still full foilage, but a pack stove pot of coco or fresh coffee and a snack made for some great times out in the deep snow winter wonderland when cabin fever was setting in.

Larry

Hmmm....I've never found any of the locals in a hibernaculum at 4th instar for sure, but it could happen, I suppose. We don't usually get a freeze until ?early December, although I know the weather varies hugely, so leaves will be available for quite a while. But I won't try to raise any myself unless I'm positive there will be plenty of time for the butterfly to emerge and mate.
Sherry

Sherry,

I forgot to comment on your "porch". Once winter has a lock on your area you could put hibernaculum in a screen cage on your porch. Simply snip the branch leaving the hibernaculum "tied" to it and stand them in the cage. Stuck in a can with sand/soil in it would be a simple way to put a lot in a small place secure enough that even wind wouldn't bother them. I would try to put the cage where they do get some filtered sun part of the day though.

When on our dead of winter hibernacumlum "hunts" any that were found with the larva out on the perch cathing some rays were always left alone. Once disturbed when out they often will not return to their hibernaculum or try to construct another one (even if viable leaves are still present). So without special treatment (like my wood block method) they may dessicate and die. Those left behind were counted in our standard MOA though, where we only took every third hibernaculum found to leave plenty for wild seed. But with 10 subspecies of Limenitis that were "local" to us, we could always find more than enough hibernaculum, and often 2-3 or more sp/ssp depending on where.

The Limentitis were one my ex's favorites... she loved looking for their larva from spring to fall, and for their hibernaculum from late fall to spring. I'd spend some time netting gravid females for ovum, usually placing them in sleeves near where caught while we did other field work, then collected ova, fed them and released them later in the day. So we always had plenty for her to rear.

L. lorquini lorquini and burrisonii were her favaorites.

Larry

PD Photo
{{gwi:547238}}

That's a gorgeous picture, Larry! I can see why your ex loved the Limenitis - I do, too!
Since the hibernacula will be so close to my house - one of the cherry trees is right in front of the porch, spilling leaves and branches onto the porch - and since I'm just an amateur, I think I'll leave them all where they are.
Sherry

The little caterpillar wasn't on its original leaf today, but had moved over to another leaf. It looks like it chewed a line out of its new leaf, and, by the amount of silk underneath it, I assume it's making its hibernaculum -
{{gwi:547240}}
So interesting!
Sherry

The little cat has made its hibernaculum. It likes to tweak it by chewing on it here and there. Here's a picture of it entering the shelter -
{{gwi:456364}}
Sherry