Josephine and Sheila...here is an update on the Pipevines, all are well and chrysalis at this point. God love'm even at chrysalis stage they are still ugly. Here's a couple of pics for you
Pipevine Swallowtail Chrysalis
and another shot OOPS! two shots the same
This message was edited Jun 30, 2010 1:39 PM
And last one.............
2nd time is a charm
Peg, those are great pictures of the Pipevine chrysalis, they are really something aren't they?
First they eat like crazy, then they refuse to pupate for as long as they can hold off so they they can keep on eating, and once they finally start to pupate, they take forever to complete, they sure are different.
Mine have been eclosing on a daily basis, two or three every day.
I am now wondering when the next onslaught will take place, how many do you have and how are your pipevine plants holding up?
Josephine.
Plants are holding up fine, I have been giving supplements to get them to grow faster even though the heat is really high. Lucky I have it planted all over the garden in anticipation of some eggs being laid. I have 9, but I swear Sheila gave me 10...UT! OH! maybe one got out.
Their manic "wandering" stage make me crazy, I felt so bad I almost released them, but I didn't. A lady I am building a Butterfly Garden for will get a couple and a bunch of plants for food.
Peg
That is great Peg, spread the wealth, so to speak.
If I get them again, would you like some more?
Josephine.
They look like Emeralds!!!
Peg....Josephine first gave me what we thought was 13...then I discovered there were actually 14. Two died because of the A. Giantea, so that left me with 12. I have three now, so none hasn't excaped you only had nine.
I think they are not entirely ugly, just not as pretty as a Monarch chrysalis. I am still waiting to see mine pupate. Hopefully they will soon.
Yes, Josephine I will take more if some need adoption.
Sheila, I feel better now knowing I didn't misplace one. Thought I may have done it cleaning the tankl.
Peg
We shall see Peg, they are flying around here in a crazy pattern as they always do, and stopping everywhere but the pipevines. They probably will find it, although I saw one trying to lay eggs on the storage building wall, I tried to catch it and put it on the right place but it got away.
Wow! what an adventure!!!
Josephine.
I think dumping the frass in the beds where your PV is planted may help them locate them. Couldn't hurt anyway.
You are right Sheila, but mine have all pupated, I will have to wait for the next batch.
Good idea Sheila, I will dump the frass on the host plant. Makes a lot of sense.
I came across some A. serpentaria seeds that I got last year.....anyone know if I would have any luck starting them and overwintering inside under daylights?
I have never grown that one from seed so I can't say.
Me either
Well I gave up on the pipevine swallowtails. They still hadn't pupated as of this morning, still crawling around the cube.
So...I put them out on the vines. Since my vines are very small I put one on each and they started eating away. I checked them a couple times before the rain started. I hope they will see I wasn't kidding when I said there is no more food ...pupate d%#$ it!! I will love to have these in the garden on a regular basis, but I won't try to raise them inside anymore!
Well Sheila!!! do you mean that if I have more you won't take any to raise?
As you can see I wasn't kidding when I said they don't want to give up, they are really strange that way.
I don't have eggs or cats on my vines as of now. Still have chrysallids that have no eclosed from the previous batch.
Josephine.
Mine have not eclosed yet. Do you need some food? I have extra.
Peg, I suppose you are asking Sheila, right?
Asking you or Sheila if you need some.
I don't need it at this time, thank you, but maybe later.
Josephine,
I won't turn down plants, but you have me loaded on seeds right now. I need to get to work planting some of them. I checked them after a shower and two are still on the plants eating one has dissappeared, probably on a nearby plant. If I find where they make their chrysalis, I will bring those in.