I am currently raising a passel of Eastern Black Swallowtails. Many of them are choosing to pupate piggybacked on top of others. Does anyone know why or have references to this phenomenon? I've heard of male B-flies of some families fertilizing females before they even hatch and then sealing the hole w/ pheromone laden stuff to ward off other males. I've not read of the piggyback issue. I'm concerned in part that the first one to pupate is going t have a tough time eclosing. Does anyone have any insight to share about this?
Regards,
Maggie
Piggybacking Eastern Swallowtails
Hi Maggie,
What do you mean you re raising them? Do you have them in some type of container? Very interesting. How about pictures?
Jeanette
Maggie,
I've had that happen with several different butterfly species that I've raised. Giant Swallowtails, Black Swallowtails and Painted Ladies. They all pupated just fine. There must be some butterfly magic floating around because they seem to synchronize when they will eclose.
Have had clusters of Bordered Patches pupating on a single leaf and they all emerged within seconds of each other.
Here's my favorite photo of a Giant Swallowtail that pupated on a Forbes Silkmoth cocoon.
~ Cat
This message was edited Jul 1, 2009 9:45 PM
ps...just saw that Sheila posted a photo on the Daily Butterflies post.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=6757802
~ Cat
Yep....that was the case with two BST that I had in 2007 I think it was.
Here is the pic again. I was concerned at first and kept pushing the one aside and trying to get him to go elsewhere. But I have to sleep and the next morning it was in the comma position on top of the first one. They both emerged fine no problems at all.
Jeanette.... You asked about raising caterpillars. If you click on my member name and look at my diary entries under "butterfly raising" you can see some of what I do. Then also at the top of the Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening forum is a thread called a "sticky". It stays at the top for ease in access and had loads of wonderful information about the cages, plants, butterfly identification and etc.
Jnette,
I'll work on getting some pics up. I have a BUNCH of these piggybackers. Sheila: is there any way to sex them either in the chrysalis or once they emerge- especially if they emerge together. I'm curious if it's a male/female thing since they haven't all done it. I'm wondering if females just pick a spot and males find them and piggyback, hatch first and wait for the females. Just extrapolating from lots of half remembered articles.
Maggie
I just got a piggy-backer yesterday, a red-spotted purple on a spicebush swallowtail chrysalis. In the past, they've all pupated successfully - 'hope they do so again.
Sherry
That's SO encouraging!
maggie
Sheila, I just checked out your diary on raising butterflies. Awesome job on describing all the stages!
Thanks....It didn't turn out as well as I would have liked, me and the website fought all the way through doing it!! LOL!
Most of the bfs can be sexed afterward. Just have to know what to look for. In a lot of the species like BST the male has the most colorful look. The Monarch is easy to determine.
The spicebush swallowtail finally emerged this morning - a female - so, once again, piggy backing didn't hurt anything.
Sherry
Nice one Sherry!!