Hi Sheila!!!!!!!!! I thought you'd get a good answer here! I'm glad that you found your way over here. I just know you'll learn a lot here. This is where I learned almost everything I know about butterflies because the people are so helpful here and they always have good answers. My first BST pupated yesterday! I didn't get to see it though. It sure is a lot different looking than the Monarch chrysalis. I think it will overwinter because it's brown. At least I think that's what I read on here. They seem to grow much slower than Monarchs unless it's my imagination. They don't eat nearly as much either. I think if you raise the VF's and the BST's, they won't be much of a problem for you at all. I'm so glad you're here and welcome to the forum! I was getting kind of bored with the other one. Besides, I learn a lot more here. Cathy

Thanks! I think you are right, that he got stuck when climbing out. ÃÂ It occurred to me later on that the pupal case?? was in a different spot after he eclosed, quite a few inches from where the chrysalis wAs when I checked on my lunch break. Now I'm concerned ÃÂ about the others (chrysalides) that are lying on floor! ÃÂ I raised them (about 50 cats) in plastic critter cages, grouped together by age/stage. So had anywhere from 5+ cats in each container. Whenever they got ready to pupate, I moved them to a plastic container with some sticks in it, covered with tulle. Of course, ÃÂ most of them chose to pupate on the container itself, rather than on the sticks. So I removed those chrysalides so I could put them in mesh reptarium where they could climb and had enough room when it was time to eclose. ÃÂ I've ÃÂ had quite a few eclose, that were also placed on their sides on paper towels on floor of cage, ÃÂ all have been successful, except This one.ÃÂ ÃÂ I'm wondering now, if I should "stabilize" the pupa that are lying on theÃÂ floor somehow, because it seems like this one's trouble was caused by the chrysalis not being set in place, firmly attached to anything? I really don't think the butterfly is diseased, he was a fast growing, healthy cat, and other than the wings being deformed, he seems perfectly normal. ÃÂ Eats on his own,pretty much, if I just place him on the Gatorade soaked cotton. This is why the thought of euthanizing him bothers me, but if i knew for a fact that he would rather not live at all, than live inÃÂ captivity, ÃÂ unable to fly, reproduce & carry out its purpose in life, I would feel better about it. It's no trouble at all for me to feed him & keep him comfortable while he is alive, but if this quality of life isn't really "keeping him comfortable" and is only making me feel better, so to speak, then I would rather do what's in the best interest of the butterfly. And i just checked & another butterfly eclosed, and it's perfectly fine, it was attached to a stick, still worried about the ones that are on the floor! If you have any suggestions as to how i might prevent same from happening with others on floor, id appreciate it! Thanks!ÃÂ

Haha, yes, it could be months, or days, lol. And yes, this is the only one of mine that have looked like this, all the others look just alike, some vary in size. this one is also a little crooked, others are all perfectiy straight, looks like the top of this one is curved to the right. Actually, is looks like he is still in that "c" formation they go into an hour or so before they pupate, not the "J" form they hang in for what seems like an eternity, but the position they go into right after the "j". There appears to be a small whitish colored "patch" underneath him that looks like his cremaster, so idk why he isn't attached to it. I hope he forms properly, these things really have to go through a lot to get to their final stage, I don't see how they make it outside where they have even more obstacles and threats. seems hard enough for them inside, lol. Thanks!I hope you don't get any of Ida's weather, hard to believe there is a hurricane threatening the gulf coast this late in the hurricane season

Coming back to report that this stubborn little straggler FINALLY eclosed this morning, after napping for over a month! It's another male, looks normal and healthy. This batch of 5 had four males and one female, but the sister and brothers are long ago released and fluttered off. Now I can finally remove the awkwardly sewed-on piece of paper towel from the side of the cage... ...just in time for my next brood of caterpillars, which started hatching today on my parsley plants outside. Too tiny for photos, but with a magnifying lens I saw the caterpillars emerging from the round eggshells. It never ends!