DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 13

Oh and boy did it rain! The lightning was blinding. I had just set out to gt DH from DFW Airport.. Talk about a stressful hour that was, having to leave the cages right as it was all happening. I'm glad I'm not a fair-weather prayer at times like that. (meaning, I pray all the time..., not just when I'm scared, lol!)
Whe I got home they were all fine. The Gazebo covered them well enough, though they did get wet. Having the cages on their sides, well, I don't have to tell you how disasterous it would have been if I had the containers all tops up....

Very thankful here~

Glad they came back home to lay the eggs Sheila!

Oh I almost forgot, Chris~ I had that happen with the chrysalis stuck to the butterfly.. Now I been misting them with water throughout the day a coulple times, because it's been so so hot & dry here... That is until this evenings rain. Anyway, I think it prevents the sticky chrysalis. If the humidity is at least 50% or more they don't need misting. Our humidity was like negative something, lol, for many days. I've found out that's when they can get stuck.

:-D,

Well then I guess 101 degrees and 70% humidity calls for some misting.
chris

70% humidity!! We get that only after it's rained a lot. Misting once a day can't hurt in the 101* heat tho.

:-D

Less than 50% humidity (the Florida girl laughs)! I would kill for that! I can't step outside here without sweating.

I was in a bad mood today (weight of the world and all that) but in the parking lot this afternoon there was a White Peacock in front of my car flitting around the Spanish Needles. I'd have taken a pic but the camera was at home. And even as I drove to the interstate on-ramp a swallowtail flew in front of me. So that cheered me up a bit.

By the way everyone, I checked with my contact in Parks and Rec and she told me the pawpaws I see around here are most likely asimina reticulata. I found a nursery in the next county over that sells them so tomorrow I'm going to go buy some. I like their pretty white flowers but of course my real motive is to get some zebra swallowtails in the yard. I'll let you know how that goes. I'll see if they have some that come with free caterpillars!

Melanie

Wouldn't that be marvelous Mel?
Hope your weekend makes up for all the weeks stress. May the butterflies tickle your cares away..That goes for anyone else who's had a rough week also.

Hugs y'all!

Deb

Heres a Frit that eclosed this morning, 3 other Frits gathered around waiting for it to be released, lol.

It's funny, my Dad has the frame of my butterfly house done, but he needs to add the screen. It will only take a few minutes I'm sure, but he just hasn't gotten to it yet. He asked how soon I would need it, and I said, "Well, I'm going to the nursery tomorrow..." so I think he got the hint. I was telling him how you guys are always collecting the cats from nurseries and garden centers. It makes sense - most people wouldn't want them or wouldn't realize they were a "good" caterpillar.

Love those GFs! I did get one to eclose and Mom and I released it when I got home from work. I barely got in the door before she was like, "Let's go release the bf!" It was funny, I tried to tempt it with blanket flowers and plumbago, but he was very uninterested. Then I leaned some porterweed against him and it was like, "Ooh! Yummy!" It was kind of overcast so he flew straight up into the oak tree which made me feel like he would be good and protected. My second GF fell from his chrysalis and Mom said all his liquid spilled out (I was driving back to WV to get my car at the time). We finally had to put him out of his misery, it was so sad. Right now I have some GF eggs, and I'm waiting for them to become cats. Same with my Polydamas. I think a spider got my polydamas cats, so I'm going to be super careful with my new eggs. Before anything goes in the butterfly house I'm going to clean it like crazy! I'm also going to clean the patio and chase all the spiders and lizards out. I love them, but not around my bfs!

The one thing I never fully appreciated was just how silvery the GF are. When I looked at my newly eclosed one I was amazed at just how shiny he was. It's great to be able to see bfs when they're all fresh and new - it's totally different than seeing them once they've been in the wild.

Melanie

It is so cool to see all the dif. BF that everyone is raising.
I had 6 successful release of Monarchs today, I only have 3 chrysallis left and my 3 cages will be empty.
I went to look on the butterfly weed and counted 24 eggs and 33 newly hatched babies. I cant bring them all in. I brought in 10 and tomorrow I am going to bring in a few gulf frits, skipper and if I can find the cloudless sulphers. I think the kids will enjoy seeing the different ones.
Where is the tiger swallowtail laying her eggs? I see her everyday, hmmm, maybe its a him.

chris

Chris, congrats on so many cats and bfs! I'm with you on the Tiger ST. I've got at least one that comes through and hits every single flower on the plumbago. Dad saw it today and was amazed by how big it was. He said the same thing when he saw it a few weeks ago (I happened to be there that time and took off running after it). I think around here they must lay eggs on the Sweetbay magnolias, as the other hosts really don't live this far south. I can't say I have a magnolia in my yard (wish I did, had one at the old house) but they are pretty common. One good thing about magnolias here is that they are very protected and if you cut one down they will fine you big time! So I feel like the Tiger STs are pretty safe.

Melanie

:-) Chris~
Here are a few pics to help you tell:

First a TST female light form.. See all the pretty blue on the topside of the lower wings?

Female TST also come in a dark form, the same blue is on the topside of the lower wing, and if you can catch some backlighting you will see her tiger stripes>

Males are only light form and maybe only one small blue dot, and a redish one..Their underside lower wing has blue, so you have to see the topside of the lower wing to be sure. Here the mostly black is the tell tale>

Mel~
The patio sounds great.. Nice of your dad to make a cage, even nicer to have him near you. My dad has been in Thailand for about 7 years now, and he is a great builder too. Go hug him (and mom), and tell them how much you (and we), appreciate them being there to help.
What sweethearts!
Mellie you are so very blessed!

Mel... That's very sweet of your dad to build you a cage/house for your BF's. : )


Here is my new release today. I never did get a picture with his wings open. He was to fast. : ) When I opened the cage to try to get one, he flew right out and up into a oak tree.

I know he is a Sulpher, but not sure what kind.

~Lucy

.I'm thinking maybe a Large Orange Sulphur (female). Because of those spot positions in the middle.

Nice, Lucy!

I feel like a terrible mom. My Monarch cat ate all the leaves I had for him and I woke up to a cage with only stems in it. I gave him more leaves, but he didn't eat any. He's not dead, but he traveled to the top of the cage and appears to be sleeping there -- just on the plastic. I assume he'll be in a J shape next time I see him. But I feel bad he didnt have enough to eat. I wish somebody had noticed there wasn't enough food in the cage and told me ahead of time.

It's going to be 59 degrees outside tonight, so I think I made the right decision to keep them inside. ????

Suzy

Suzy, once the Monarch cats reach 5th instar, you can't keep up with them. So don't feel guilty. Mine have run out frequently. IMO, I really don't think it hurts them to do without for just a while...they're just lucky I'm home a lot to run outside for more. Wonder if it's possible for them to eat so much it makes them sick? Like cattle can?

Well, he's in his J now, so it's too late to fatten him up :)

Next time I'll know better...'cause I didn't even know he was in his 5th instar!

Has anybody clipped roadside Milkweed and put it in a vase out in the garden? My plant has been eaten up, and my Ice Ballet isn't too popular, but I have 5 and 6 and more Monarchs out there a day. There isn't any milkweed around (that I know about), But I know where it grows wild on the roadside and could go get some.

Suzy

How do you know if they are in 5th instar? I had them eating the stems too. Eating the stems would/t hurt them will it?

I've done that...as far as bringing cuttings home from the roadside, only I put it in my cages. The problem I ran into this spring doing that was I would find more eggs or cats on the cuttings once I got home. Then I had more cat mouths to feed! And I've also got Monarch cats pupating now.

I figured mine only ate the stems because he was starving and they were there (and no leaves were)

Deb, You said in ths thread: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=3865319 that I should be very careful when the green hood comes over them and not move him until the chrysalis has hardened...I forget why I move him at all. Can I leave him where he is or is it too small for a full grown butterfly, or what? I don't want to move him. I'd rather buy new cages if I find more eggs. (Lol! Do I sound a little panicked here?) These are those Ziploc ready-cages you had us make. I don't have a bigger cage ready for him and I'll need to do that if I'm supposed ot have it ready, but as I said, I am not wanting to even TOUCH him, much less try my hand at a dental floss cremaster tie-a-thon.

Suzy

The cat from the nursery pipevine that I took a pic of is a chrysalis, but it apparently wasn't able to get part of its old skin off properly. And part of its silk stirrup must have come dislodged also. A fair bit of the old skin is still stuck on. But it is alive, I'm sure of that. I'll try to get a pic of the chrysalis tomorrow...would be interested in whether it's a polydamas or not. I do know there is a western variety of PVST cat that is reddish that shows up in Texas, so even though its color was reddish I just assumed it was one of those. Oh, this site shows the reddish PVST:
http://home.att.net/~larvalbugbio/eye/gallery-swallowtail.html

These Monarchs pupating are scaring me to death. Maybe I shouldn't watch? I just noticed a few of them look like they are disintergrating, hanging upside down with the middle of their body shrinking. My DH moved the cage while several were pupating and I'm wondering if he jiggled the cage too much. I've got my fingers crossed that they'll be ok.

They sound like what mine did. After they pupated, it kind of looked like they were turning around inside. I bottom was bigger when they started but in a few hours the top was bigger and the middle was thinner. My cage has been jiggled, moved, bumped and half knocked off the table. They major bump was in the middle of pupating. I even had 1 fall off the top of the cage and onto the table (the day after it pupated) I dont think he was ever hooked on that well to begin with. That one and 2 others should eclose this morning. The others all did fine and are happily flying around in my yard.

chris

How long did it take to completely turn into that little lime green capsule? I'm starting to worry about this last cage. Some really started leaking a black/greenish liquid.

Ummm, none of mine leaked anything. They did the J thing for 1 day, the next day they pupated. From the time the hood started, it took 3 min. for them to be completely covered. Then they spent the next hour going from being "bottom heavy" to being "top heavy". The next day they were a nice solid green color with a gold line around the "seam". They only stayed that way about 4 days. You will know when they are going to eclose because by 6:00 am. my green chrysallis looked black, but that is because it is see-through and you can see the black, orange and white dots of the Monarch. He will eclose within the next couple of hours. From the first crack in the chrysallis to him hanging on the outside of his chrysallis takes about 30 seconds.
Maybe some kind of parasite got to your leaking chrysallis. I am sure most of them will be fine. It is going to be very exciting for you in a few days. I lost 1 at butterfly stage and 1 runt cat that died before pupating, waiting this morning on the 1 last monarch to eclose. This is the one that didnt close all the way when pupating, never dropped that black thing off the top and then fell on the floor, and was hot glued back up. He is see-through this morning and hopefully will be out soon.

chris

Deb~
Are you saying the cats were leaking the greenish-black liquid?
If so that is normal for them to do just prior to pupating.

:-D

Mine didnt leak before pupating but did squirt out a brownish liquid about an hour after eclosing.
I am glad you say this is normal, I will not panic now if it happens to the next batch. Deb, how many do you have pupating? Isnt it cool?

picture: I am thinking the tiger that has been visiting me is a male?

Yes he is Chris! Super great shot!

Most cats will defocate just prior to pupating, it is very important for them not to be closed in with the toxins. Sometimes this is not seen because of other materials below them, however it is a very healthy sign. and signal that they don't need to be fed any more. A couple times it was a false alarm bc of the activity level around the cages, but more than not they pupate right after I observe the elimination. If not I poke another small sprig of host in there for it.

I have roughly 12-20 Monarchs now. 8 were chrysalids as of yesterday, and 4 eclosed this morning! The other dozen or so Monarchs are still cats of all sizes. I had another BST eclose around the same time. I will go out and release them in a few and take some pics. Then I will probably make a new page before posting the pics.

Right on Chris! This is very cool!

:-D

Now to gross anyone out....but....
2 out of 3 of mine leaked a stringy looking stuff, right after they pupated. A little while later I found 3 fly larva crawling around in the bottom of the cage, They then turned into a pupa themselves. I threw them away. Yuk!

They have been invaded, as cats. : (
I did get 1 Queen out of the bunch tho. : )
~Lucy

Oh no Lucy! I've had to look extra closely at the milkweed plants. I've found all kinds of predators lurking between the leaves and blosoms, ig. spiders and Hover Fly larvae. And still I;ll find some ugliness crawling inside the cage every now and then. Grrr!

One of the ones trying to pupate fell off his cremaster onto the paper towel in the bottom of his cage. His head has a green hood but that's all. Will he continue to pupate laying on his side?

I don't know. I've never had that happen. Maybe someone else will know.

I've just about decided to only get eggs I see being laid, instead of the cat itself. Reason being, the 3 Queen cats i brought in, 2 of which had already been infected.

I'm watching my black swallowtails grow now. They finally got big enough for me to see them without the magnifing glass. lol : )
~Lucy

What a beautiful Sulphur Lucy! I believe it is a Cloudless.. great job!! Next time you experience something weird like the larvae thingys coming out of the chrysalids *please* take a pic so we can investigate. This will help all of us in a big way. Understanding their predators is just as important as a successful release to me. Besides we are filling in the BugFiles as good as we can along the way. Some of them do not have pics yet.

Oh Deb! Sad to hear that some of the butterflies are having problems. It is exactly how we have learned to raise them with any success tho. Casualties will happen. We just keep trying different things until something works. I know before the seasons done, you'll be an old hand at it.

Yep Chris! Liquids come out before and after pupation, so your in good shape. I now how you feel being relieved that is normal.

Oh and Suzy~ keeping the chrysalids in the quick and easy cage is prefectly fine. I do that a lot, especially since my patio has become a revolving door for cat to butterfly action... Here is a pic from this morning, I never had a chance to move them.. All 4 were females

I made a new thread too Meet me over there when y'all are done here> http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/761243/

i am really enjoying reading all this on butterflies...i would perhaps like to try it maybe next summer on raising them......i am assuming i would have to wait till then being as i live in oregon and it gets too cold...i love seeing the swallowtails come to my yard...i have seen an occasional monarch...i would love to raise those...however what if i cant find a cat here to start with?...and please remember you are talking to a newbie so please forgive my dumb questions..lol....thanks
hummingbird

Hi hummingbird_1
There are no dumb questions. We all were new once.
We have moved to page 14 of this thread now. Join us there. : )

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/761243/
~Lucy