Let me start by saying I could be completely wrong. But if it were me, I'd think about bringing it inside, just for the night. I actually think it would be fine outside, after all, they are supposed to be able to overwinter in the pupa stage. But I'd feel better just bringing it in overnight, maybe you have a cool room or place indoors? I have several of them I've been leaving outside the last couple of months with none eclosing (even during some pretty hot stretches), I don't think that a few hours indoors would cause it to "think" about eclosing. Again, just my opinion. Good luck with it and lets hope this cold GOES AWAY!!! kelly

Hopefully, the article you read about removing them recommended that you remove the silk that the chrysalis is attached to - when you pull it off, the chrysalis will come with it, and there will be no danger of tearing into the chrysalis itself and killing it. I don't reattach chrysalides after I've removed them - the methods I've seen recommended look too risky, like you could easily puncture the chrysalis in the process of reattaching them. I just put them in a butterfly cage, that is, a rectangular shaped frame with a mesh covering, put foam rubber on the bottom, put a paper towel over that, and lay the chrysalides on the paper towel. They emerge just fine that way with no danger of me accidentally killing them. If you don't have a butterfly cage, you can use an old aquarium or even a plastic (clean) bucket, with foam rubber or something soft on the bottom with a paper towel over it. Put mesh or bridal veil type material on the top - I secure that with clothes pins. Also, put something that the newly emerged butterfly can climb onto and then hang upside down on for about half a day or so, depending on the size of the butterfly. Aquarium and other glass sides are too slick for them to climb. You can take a left-overs container, add some rocks to weight it down, punch a few holes in the top and put sticks in the holes. As long as the butterfly can get a firm grip on it and have room to hang upside down, it'll do. Then when the butterfly has hung upside down long enough for it's wings to harden properly, it will flutter around the cage, wanting out. Keep the container in a shaded, protected place outside, so the butterfly can respond to the sunlight. Wait until the butterfly's flutterings are strong - my butterfly cages are big enough that they can actually fly around inside them. Small butterflies can be released in just a couple of hours, but big swallowtails take about a half a day or more. Good luck and congrats on the mourning cloaks - I'd LOVE to raise some myself! Sherry

Thanks Rob, I am not going to bother it. There are two more chrysalis nearby, and I would rather not move them around too much. Thanks again--Betty

Here in the midwest, I'm pretty sure that tiger swallotails overwinter as a chrysalis, and then emerge in the spring. I suspect that they spend the winter in a pile of dry leaves, under the snow. I hope someone with more expertise will read this and respond.