I had 7 GSBs on my plant- about 10 days ago 2 hatched out and flew, but 5 are still there- it doesn't look like anything is going to happen- do a lot of them die? Or do some just take longet to hatch out?
my GSB may be dead
Unfortunately, they are sometimes parasitized, and what emerges is not what you expected. But I would still wait and see....
I've heard of some that don't emerge for many months...can be as much as a year, although that's quite unusual.
I am of no help on this one either, sorry
OK- I will just leave them alone and hope for the best!
GSB? Thinking back on old threads...Giant Swallowtail Butterfly? (I use GST)
What color are the chrysalis? Not sure that it actually matters but I have had the ones that turn brown take longer. I've read/heard that the color of the chrysalis depends on the color of what they are pupating on, but that's not 100% because I've had green right next to brown.
I've heard/read that brown ones overwinter, but it's not winter here and right now I have 3 BST (Black Swallowtail) chrysalis that have been sitting for about 2 weeks. No particular reason either. They were the first of several I had that pupated. Before they did I put them in a little mesh bug hut. One made his chrysalis and it was brown. The others made theirs directly behind the first one and theirs are brown also. My green ones are eclosing daily.
I had them inside and thought they might be too cool so I moved them outside within just a day or so but still no luck.
I've had a brood of BST's that I raised late in the summer eclose in the middle of December!!
How interesting! There are still 4 left, and I just watch them daily- they are mostly grey/brown with just a touch of blue. They are on the screened deck so I will know when/if they hatch!
So far almost all of my green ones are eclosing, which leaves the brown ones. ?
Last year I watched a swallowtail chrysalis sitting on my lavender plant for what seemed like forever. When Katrina was threatening I cut the stem it was on and brought it into the patio to protect it from the winds.
The day after Katrina, it was flying around in the screened in area. I was tickled. This was after it and his buddies devoured all my green fennel.
This year they are devouring my bronze fennel. I wish they would quit that because I grew some more green just for them, but they are picking their own flavor.
Molly
:^)))
Hi Jo!