Starfruit.
Yes -- and the tree is just loaded with blossoms. No fruit showing -- but it should be a bountiful year.
Be well
(o_O)
A stranger came to visit
Fly, you need to release them after their wings have fully hardened. Just unzip your cage and give them a minute and they will take off. One thing, don't disturb them as long as they are still, but when they start fluttering it is time. They are ready within an hour after emerging. If they fall or are disturbed prematurely the wings will harden distorted and they won't be able to fly. In which case I usually pop them in the freezer or kill them quickly, rather than see them suffer. This Monarch had a crimpled wing on one side, not a good picture but you can see what I am saying.
Gotcha. Thanks.
You mentioned pinning the chrysalis to something. Mine are securely tied to the twigs with their strings.
What is with the pinning?
Be well
(o_O)
Those that I remove (scrape) from the plastic cage walls; I pin through the "silk" up against a strip of foam and put it inside of the cage. On the BST I make sure the pin is holding the string they make then through the silk. On a Monarch, you can just wad up the silk they lay down and pin through it.
Your sticks are fine as they are.
Thanks
Be well
(o_O)
i am basking in the glow.
Yesterday was a great day. We celebrated our -- get this -- 65th Wedding Anniversary. And this morning -- shades of biblical stories -- we had twins. that's right. two babies and two still waiting to deliver.
The nursery was quite at 9AM. At 11, things had already started happening.
Here is the first born -- through the plastic top.
And here was his/her little brother/sister -- pumping wings
One and an almost
So, I gave them a sugar-wetted flower -- which they ignored.
And I took them to see the great outdoors and opened the top.
Away flew Adam/Eve -- and the little one just crawled out.
Seconds before the second one stopped crawling -- and got ready to fly.
It had already crawled onto a clay pot.
So, although we are so-called "empty nesters," the nest is not exactly empty, but waiting for more action.
Two down -- two more to go.
Stay tuned.
Be well
(o_O)
Congratulations on the anniversary and of the special deliveries!! As for the feeding on the first day....they don't take nourishment until way later in the day. They are exausted from the emerging process I figure. This morning you may see them flying around nectaring. It is a beautiful thing.
The remaining two coccoons are still hanging. Does this happen?
Be well
(o_O)
The chrysalis of the others that haven't emerged are not on the same timing maybe a day, even a week later. I think that is what you are asking. Spritz them with water and see if they wiggle, if so they are very much alive(if not, may still be ok though). After another week look closely and see if you notice a hole in the chrysalis, if so it may be from being parasitized when they were outside. That is one of the biggest reasons I bring the cats in as early as possible, even as eggs sometimes. Here is what I am talking about.
The best ever website I have found to describe the wasp parasite is this one:
http://www.butterflyfunfacts.com/chalcid-wasp-chalcidoidea.php The pictures are very graphic and clear unlike mine above. You will be amazed as I was at the numbers of wasp that imerge.
Sad part is that farmers purchase and release them frequently to control caterpillas in their crops. Of course they don't stay on their property!
Uggghhh.
Well, one chrysalis is just turning black. I guess that's a good sign .
Watching and waiting.
By the by, a few years ago we were both on a thread with KONKRETEBLOND.
Is she still around?
(o_O)
Yes and no, she still lives in Burleson south of me, but she isn't on DG much. I do see sometimes where she posts something. But I work with her every two years at the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens where she and I both volunteer with the Tropical Butterfly exhibit they have there. I will make sure and tell her you asked about her. She said the kids really keep her busy with ball practice etc. She lurks on DG some, and may see this. I know she just signed up for another year in March.
She and Debnes_dfw_tx are the ones that got me into raising caterpillars!
It happened in the ten minutes I went out to catch a fish for dinner.
The newly-blackened chrysalis just delivered.
Three down -- one to go
(o_O)
Hey Flyboy! LOL! I got your d-mail. So glad to hear from you! :) I lurk around some but since the days when I could hang out here I went back to work, got 2 dogs, and became a Master Naturalist and so I do a lot of volunteer gardening and activities. (where I see Sheila)
Congrats on your new conquest of raising BST's! Sheila walked you right along with tons of great instructions. (I am sure I am much less thorough) BST's are messy. Do you get Monarch's there? You've now gone from saying "what's eating my passionvine" to "...parsley" to raising them. Great job!
Hi Sheila!
konkrete(still blond?)
So there you are. Welcome back. Yes, I am now stuck. So far that I just returned from buying a new "passiflora."
I just cannot wait for a casual visit from another BST. The GF's are so dependable around here -- so I hope to be able to keep my delivery system fully productive.
Now I have to beg for someone to show me a picture of a GF cat, so that I don't start raising moths.
I just wanted you to know that your Butterfly 101 really started me on this road, again.
Be well
(o_O)
P.S. Thanks Sheila.
There she is....about time you surfaced again Paige! I know you are busy but set aside a few minutes to play catch up on DG and stay in touch.
lol...yes, still blonde and paying good money for it now! Funny, I have passionvine coming up all over my LAWN now (and I'm sure the neighbor's!) but could rarely get cats to eat mine! I could never figure out why Debnes would have hers chewed to nubs and mine would be smothering the fence except that mine was also covered with ants that I watched carry off eggs. ?? I have started trying to cut back the original vine (can never remember what it is) and getting a native passionvine going now.
I'm sure quite a few of us have raised a moth cat for a while...lol I've actually stopped bringing all cats inside and letting them be on their own, except I do love to raise Monarchs! I'm enjoying the newbie enthusiasm.
Still have those pictures I took of your beautiful vine. It is... now I am more knowledgeable...a 'incense' passiflora. I have one of those just only a little thing the last few years, I have the feeling mine will be huge before long if we don't start seeing frits.
So that is what a GF cat looks like? I had forgotten.
What does a Monarch cat look like -- and have you heard of them being in Florida?
Be well
(o-O)
I had to dig around for this pic, but it's a favorite! These are Monarch cats...aren't they cute?! You should get fall migration in FL so this might be something you want to try your hand at next! http://www.fs.fed.us/monarchbutterfly/migration/index.shtml
Sheila, that's too funny that you have that pic! You'd think I could remember "incense", I probably ask Josephine every year what it is!
Pretty.
They look like the BST cats.
I will be on the lookout. Will they like my new passiflora -- or what do they eat?
Be well
(o_O)
No Fly, the Monarchs use the milkweed as a host plant. Here is a link that has a listing of a lot of the butterflies that you get also. Click on the left on "butterfly gardening". Then look under the first one at the pictures of the butterflies and there it will give you the host plants too.
www.dallasbutterflies.com
I just saw my first Gulf Frit here today!
Sheila, have you seen many butterflies this year? I've had very few or I'm just not here when they are. I have had GF's and even saw a cat a few weeks ago but I just found my one and only BST cat this week. I've got a few Queens but not many. Oh well, maybe later...
Oh yes Fly, do watch for the Monarchs. They are magnificent fliers, just soar thru the air like the large birds. They are very "friendly" and great for taking pictures when you hand-raise them. They take their time drying out and just adjusting to their new bodies, unlike BST's who will beat their wings off within hours to get out of the cage!
Hey Paige, no I haven't seen many but it is no wonder with the hard winter and then all the wildfires, and high winds we had. Those that moved in from the south probably blew right over us!
I was just told (by Dale) that this is the normal time for the Gulf Frits to arrive that we have experienced a lot of early ones before because of over-wintering. The progression this is doing ok. Guess I was spoiled from the active years! LOL!
I have about 25 BST in Chrysalis and 5-8 still eating. No new eggs though. I released 3 adults today 1fe, 2 male. Other than the BST there has been very little action.
The silver-spotted skipper is the only other cat I have seen. Here one is in it's leaf bed, in it's host plant false indigo.
My fourth chrysalis is still hanging by its thread. I guess it is time to detach it and confine it to the deep.
Three out of four is not bad. In basebll that's batting 750. Even Ted Williams never hit over 400.
And I don't think that we get milkweed down here.
Be well
(o_O)
No .. no on the chrysalis.....don't give up hope unless it feels empty or you see a hole. You can place it outside if you don't want to keep an eye on it, but not in direct sunlight. Spritz it with a little water. Sometimes the butterfly just can't break the chrysalis (usually the darker ones).
Ok OK
Better than spray I wetted it down with a Q-tip.
Now I'll watch.
Thanks
(o_O)
possibly the best thread i've ever read on DG. thank you fly and sheila for keeping me on the edge of my seat....better than a mystery novel. ps. i remember koncrete from years ago.
so did the last little guy make it out?
Not as yet.
It is still encapsulated in its green coccoon.
Maybe it'll be resurrected in the next world. Maybe Planned Parenthood has spread into the fauna kingdom.
Who knows?
Be well
(o_O)
i'll eat a fig in its honor!
Fly, does it have any dark spots?
Nope. Nary a spot.
Frozen in time.
Be well
(o_O)
I enjoyed reading your metamorphosis from: "OMG what's on my parsley, what do I do what do I do?!"
to: wetting down a chrysalis with a Qtip. :)
Congratulations on your new obsession. We've been very slow to see butterflies of any kind this year. I saw one BST cat on some dill one day a month ago. Looked like it shed skin once and then disappeared.
We'll keep waiting.
Amanda~
It has been rather quiet. A few Gulf Fritillaries have been flitting, but not contributing to the hatchery. Not even the new passiflora has enticed them into making a contribution.
But I have polished the equipment and gotten it ready, just in case.
Be well
(o_O)
Thank you sir, for being an inspiration to bug ladies everywhere. :)
It's too early in the season to think you won't see more. I hope you do - your a good bug daddy.
Enjoy your day.
A.