Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: Cenizo (leucophyllum frutescens) Cats, 1 by TexasPuddyPrint

TexasPuddyPrint wrote:
I have some cages inside my house and others outside. Just depends on the weather. South Texas temps have been in the high 90's lately.

I don't usually tie chrysalids up ...I put twigs and little wire jungle gyms in with the last instar caterpillars...that way they'll have something to crawl up on to pupate...or I move them into the meshed reptarium. They'll crawl up on the meshed sides to pupate.

The only time I have to tie a chrysalis up is when it has fallen or I have to remove it from an area that is potentially harmful to its safety. During those rare times I carefully remove the silk and can pretty much get away with a dab of hot glue on a toothpick and I touch that to the silk and twig. Must be careful not to get hot glue on the chrysalis.

Butterflies generally fly about 10 feet or so off the ground. Many of the larval host plants and shrubs they use are under that height. Unless you've got something like a paw paw or hackberry tree....but even then you should be able to find eggs and caterpillars on them.

As for drilling a hole in your hackberry...just mix up a batch of butterfly bait and use bait logs. Many butterflies in the brushfoot family will come to fresh or rotting fruit.

Here is a photo of the cat cage I use the most. I have about 20 of these made.

~ Cat