This little feller was have'n a hard time getting out of his cocoon today. It seemed that one of his wings was stuck for some reason.?.? I thought he'd manage to get it out, but after about 3 hours of effort and no progress I decided I should lend a helping hand. I normally don't interfer with Mother Nature, but it was SOOOOO hot out today that I felt the ants were going to find this poor lil guy before he managed to free himself and fly away.
How long does it normally take for them to get out of their cocoons? I was thinking it should only be a matter of minutes - not hours.
Just Curious,
GD
yes it usually take just a minute. Poor little thing
Oh no! So what happened?! I've helped both butterflies and moths. I do wait until they've tried for themselves but once it goes longer than usual I know they are in trouble. Since it's always one that I've had inside I feel like I should since maybe their chrysalis or cocoon would be softer if it were outside. ?
If they don't get out quick enough their wings will not be able to expand and they'll harden all crumpled. It's horribly sad!
I had a moth once that was just pitiful! It was scratching and clawing and could not get out and I could not just sit and watch it die in that cocoon! It's been a few years so I can't remember exactly but I got tiny little sewing scissors and tweezers and finally managed to cut the cocoon open. Those things are tough!!
lol yeah they are tough . . . I had to take an exacto blade and help this one get out. He was sitting on the rock ledge and doing fine when I left him. I had to finish some things and when I came back he was gone. I looked all around on the wall and the ground and didn't find him, so I assume he finally took off on his own.
It's been so dad'burn hot down here . . . I was like . . . he's going to bake if I don't help him out.
I guess it's time I do another Rain Dance huh?
No kidding! It was 104 here today! I'd sure appreciate a few extra steps in that dance for my area. Good thing I forgot about the soaker hose last night because it sure helped today.
Glad to hear you were able to help him get free. What kind was it? I can't quite tell.
Indeed . . . most likely gonna need more than a few more steps, but I'll give it my best shot ;) lol
I've been having to water twice a day down here just to keep some things alive. I am lucky enough to have some monster Live Oaks that help out with their large amounts of shade, but lately it's been getting so hot so early their shade don't take over the yard area until things start wilting if they don't get soaked first thing in the AM.
Well since I'm not real up on all the different types of butterflies (still learn'n) so I'm not real sure exactly what this one was. And silly me . . . I didn't get any better shots of him before he took off. Maybe someone around here can tell us, but I'd only be guessing if I try'd to ID him.
Ohhh!! LOVE those trees!!! Those are just awesome! Monstrous trees just thrill me. I guess because I've always lived here on the prairie. I was in heaven when I went to Oak Alley Plantation in LA.
Your butterfly looks like a beautiful black and blue color. Maybe a Spicebush Swallowtail? Pipevine? Red Spotted Purple? Maybe you'll have more.
I had a sad experience with some Queen chrysalides recently. The ants found one. Another died in the chrysalid without trying to emerge, no sign of ants. The third one was trying to emerge early on and when I checked on it later it still wasn't out. I eventually got it out but too late for the wings. It had to be put down, the poor little thing. I felt so bad! So now that I found a few more eggs and cats on my milkweed, I'm going back to raising them entirely inside, in case the heat might have had a bad effect on those two. BTW, another Queen and a Spicebush that eclosed during about that same time were just fine.
Awww Linda . . . sorry to hear that . . . but glad to know that the others were ok and that you can raise some inside. This blaze'n heat is take'n it's toll on many things around here this season.
I'm with ya there Konkreteblond, there's just something special ancient trees. They've always had a special place in my heart. I'm not sure how old these trees are, but if they could only talk can you imagine the stories they'd tell ;)
Indeed the butterfly was a very pretty deep blue and black with yellow spots on the abdomen. (if that helps?) There have been several more around the flowers so I'll see if I can get a couple of pics of them soon :)
Just had to show ya'll a photo that I took of my visitin' swallowtail? from this Spring. He hung around my blue asters for quite a while and then moved on....Sooo pretty tho...one of my favorites.. :)
I'm with ya on those old stately trees, GD. I swear you can feel a hum when ya put a hand on their rough ole trunks... :) They are so incredibly special....
Ohh la la . . . great pic TxT :) Thanks for share'n :)
Yeah ya gotta love them old giant trees . . . I remember climb'n so high up in them when I was a kid that it was almost like be'n up in the clouds :) I've had a few save my skin a time or two also . . . lol
They've come in handy for a quick get-away from wild hogs several times and run'n from an old bull or a momma cow that we kinda irritated when we were out in the fields play'n as kids :D ;)
lol..I remember being a crab and makin' my way up to the top of our trees as well.. :) How in heaven's name did I make it so high? We literally lived in trees when we were kids... :)
lol..@ the tree savin.....I actually fell out of a mesquite tree once and broke my arm in 4th grade. lol...Such a tomboy! ;)
lol TxT . . . no wonder ya type so funny :p :))
yeah . . . we did too . . . didn't even need a tree house . . . we thought we were lil monkeys :D
