Help! We've been raising a Black Swallowtail caterpillar, and today it hatched. I expected it to take a while to 'perk up' a bit, but when I went in at lunch, it is fluttering as much as it can in the space, and trying to get out. I feel bad, because my daughter would certainly like to see it. She doesn't get home until 3:15 from school. Will it be OK inside until then?
The enclosure is about 15" diameter cylinder, of the type they typically sell in kits for children to raise butterflies in. It is fairly full with a small blooming pentas I put in there, hoping that the emerging butterfly would like it's nectar... haven't seen it on the flowers yet at all though.
On top of waiting, we're due for some rain tomorrow. So now I'm keeping it inside, releasing it in the late afternoon, and it may rain tomorrow...
Opinions please?!
It's hatched... What should I do?
Well, you've probably released it by now, but for others and for future reference...
Butterflies don't typically eat first thing so don't worry too much about that. I've left many in an enclosure for a day and they were just fine. Better to keep them safe than release them in bad weather. As long as they're in a soft enclosure where they can't hurt themselves and where they can easily hang from something they'll be fine. You just want to be sure they won't fall and hurt their wings.
Melanie
Thanks Melanie, it turned out just fine. Have 2 that emerged so far, and one more still growing up :) I did take the pentas out the second time, it was too crowded in there and the first guy seemed uncomfortable.