Overwinter Black Swallowtail Chrysalis

Greetings:

In 2009/2010 I accidentally overwintered my first BST chrysalis in the closet on my back porch. I say "accidentally" because the butterfly formed its chrysalis on a stick I placed in its enclosure, and when it didn't eclose I kept the stick outside in a flower pot with the stick standing in the soil upright. Over the winter the chrysalis detached partially from the stick. It was hanging upside down so I removed it from the flower pot and laid it down on a table surface on the back porch. Over time I forgot about it, and in spring when I was doing some cleaning on the porch I opened the closet door and there on the floor was a fully formed BST butterfly. I was so surprised!!!

I just took a picture of the closet door - rather unflattering sight. The squirrels and other critters have taken their liberties with the door. The sunlight at this time of day/angle is the most it gets all season.

This year I have 18 BST chrysalises on sticks, the top mesh of a plastic critter keeper container, and on the fabric mesh of a PVC cage. Since I know a little bit more this year about butterfly rearing I realize that this is the natural order (!) of things. I don't want to be too careful, seeing as how in my negligence the critter was able to go thru it's lifecycle without any attention at all.

I have the fabric mesh PVC cage on the back porch with all the chrysalises inside it. I wonder if it's okay for me to move the entire PVC cage into the closet on the back porch from which the original BST emerged.

The closet door has louvers (?!) and is not sealed to the elements. It does not receive much direct sunlight. I would like to move the cage into the closet to protect it from ME, not the elements. It is fairly large and in my way sitting on the table on the back porch.

Does anyone have any comments or vehement objections to moving the entire cage inside? It still gets humidity, air circulation, some light, natural temperature.

Let me know how YOU overwinter YOUR BST chrysalises please, and if you think it's okay for the cage to go into the closet.

Thanks!

~Amanda

Hi Amanda,

I leave mine in the cages just sitting in the garage somewhere that I will see them. Since I'm always letting the dogs out through the garage, that is the best place. Right now they are on top of the grill. The last time I overwintered I did basically the same thing, only different cage. I think only 2 of the 5 I had survived. They eclose quite late in the spring, so if you are sure that you will open the closet in spring and not forget them, then I think they will be okay.

This one I just wound up sticking in a hanging plant in late spring, though it had been in the cage all winter. It eclosed in the plant.

Edit to add that this was June 16 of that year

This message was edited Dec 14, 2011 6:24 PM

Thanks. :)

Actually, I open the door to the closet almost every day to let them get light and air. I know there are little critters in there counting on me. It is hard to see a little, so I should either hang a light in there or look closely with a flashlight. No sign of butterflies tho, so I guess they'll be hanging out till March or April.

Sounds fine to me. Also, you could hang it on the louvers with a bungie cord or something. That way you open it and check it in the light without disturbing them. But they would also be close to the cold and light to sense the season.

They are getting direct light as the slant of the sun penetrates the slats of that closet door, and thankfully the temps have returned to "normal"/average for this time of year. A week or so ago I was worrying that they would mistake the warm December for spring.

I was readjusting the critters over the weekend to make sure they were secure in their places and one of them wiggled at me!!!! :D

Some have changed colors a bit, wonder if that means . . . ..

I guess I will find out, but I know at least one of them is eager to come out! With 80 degrees today I closed that closet door - I had left it open for a couple of weeks as the sun has shifted and it is not hitting them directly now - over the winter the angle of the sun was so low they would have been in direct sun if I'd left the door open.

Anyway - I felt in there this morning and it was nice and cool back there so I figured they'd stay a little cooler with the door closed. The louvers on the closet door let light and air pass. Just not sure how this will work this year. The last one I overwintered (can't remember now if it was last year or the year before) came out in early April. Well now then I guess we're doing okay if they're still in diapause or whatever stage they're in!

Keep you posted.

Seems like it should be really soon for you!

Bleck. It was at least 85 today. I guess I could move them to the basement! It's probably 20 deg cooler down there.

LOL, it was hot here too A.

Crap - just looked at the forecast, and I do believe I will take the bugs to the bsmt tomorrow.

Just ain't right!!!

Warm here too--in the 70's. I'm glad I put mine in the fridge, because otherwise they might eclose before there are any nectar plants for them. Think I'll wait awhile to take them out.

Bruce

I should have done it last night but got busy and now it's 80 degrees. The sun just came out. I'd better get them down to the basement before the afternoon wears on any longer. Sure there are native flowers and camellias and such out there, but still - hard frost won't be kind to newly emerged BST.

-sigh-

A.

I just wonder if it has anything to do with warmth at all, since mine did not emerge until June. Maybe it is a time thing, x amount of weeks, you know…

...likes circadian rhythm? But, ummm, spring is here.....lol

I have wondered that as well - daylight? I hoped. :)

But you are also in a different Zone, Mrs. Ed. I would expect yours to emerge later. Maybe then it IS temperature related.

I didn't think I've this much luck! My BST chrysalis ecloses just a little while ago. Will post pics. after lunch hours. ^_^

Here it's!

ooo, lovely and I can smell that virburnum way up here.

huzzah! :D

tehehehehe, Mrs. Ed. I'm glad y'all enjoyed.

I have seen about three or four Monarch floating through on the winds this last month. Grabbed my camera on this one nectaring on my Groundsel.

Awesome! :D

I remember my FIRST sighting last season was in April. I remember mainly because I wrote how my A. tuberosa were barely 2"-3" high and the Monarch was all over them. I saw the tuber heads with their little green sprouts getting ready to grow yesterday. I am clearing out that particular bed to make room for annuals. It was the first bed I planted/created when we moved to this house so sort of everything went in there. Now, most of the plants have become too large or just spread and hogging too much ground (solidago 'Fireworks') if anyone wants some live plants. :D

I saw my first orange sulfurs yesterday. I decided also that I AM going to plant the sennas again. This time out front where they will get full sun all day and thru September, October, November so they will be GIANT and BLOOM instead of languishing in the shade with giant flower buds that were frost bitten before they could bloom. :/

A.

Mrs Ed, I'm glad you kept a record of you emerging BST, It gives me an idea as to what time, to expect my lone one to emerge. I kept it outside all winter, under the floor of a swing. I will check on it tomorrow and probably move it to the garage. It has been very warm here the past few days. Today it went up to 73.4F, and expecting around the same for tomorrow.
I also kept my Polyphemus moths outside all winter. I have over 20 of them. Their container was buried under snow, but this warm weather has thaw them out and they were expose to full sun. So decided, to moved them in the garage, to where I will be able to monitor them too.

Hope everyone has great success with their butterflies, this year.

Burn, glad to hear you've those many overwintering future butterflies. Well wishes. I still have two more chrysalid yet to eclose. But spring has sprung down here.

I am peeking in there every day now. The temps have been over 70 day time and not less than 50 overnight for almost a week now. I'm guessing it won't be long. I am leaving the door open now on nice days. Why not?! I guess they've been doing this for a long time without my help. ;)

Ha Amanda! Yah, I'm sure they will be fine no matter what! I saw a cabbage white fly by yesterday. Yay spring. It will be interesting to see when my BSTs emerge with this mild winter and early spring. I will say that out of the five or so I had that year, I think only two survived, so don't be surprised.

I saw several cabbage whites yesterday. I still have the BST chrysalles in the fridge, but am starting to look for a sheltered spot to bring them outside. Been in the 80's here which is about 25 degrees above average.

BUTTERFLY!!!

Ha ha ha - this morning I pulled the cage around a little to sit closer to the threshold. I remembered which chrysalis wiggled at me last week and wanted to make sure it was getting enough light.

That's the one that eclosed this morning, right around 10 a.m. Took a photo, but maybe if you've seen one you've seen half a dozen at least. :D

I'm so pleased! In 2009/2010 when the BST eclosed in that closet I had scabiosa blooming, and I released it there. This year the plant has a lot of buds but not quite ready for this critter. Plenty of weed/wildflowers out there though. I'm sure s/he'll find the way.

A.
A.

congratulations. I think that's so funny you are seeing them wiggle.

:)

:):)

Like a child in a candy store! I've two more BSTs eclosed this morning. One must have eclosed yesterday when I was away from the garden. The other is still drying her wings. I'll post pics. soon.....Yippieeeeeeee!

Tada!!! We're having the most wonderful spring day. Not too hot, not too cold, and Just like my BST. It's just RIGHT! LOL

Ohhhh that's pretty. Thanks! Still haven't found the cord to my darn camera, but anyway. No body else has been brave enough to come out. I lost count, but I think there are at least 12 in there...