Should I put a stick in the cage for a swallowtail? It looked like someone had one pupating right on a parsley plant. Will swallowtails go to the highest place like the monarch does?? Monarchs I have done in captivity always went to the roof of the cage.
Found 5 larva over an inch long on my parsley today. How mother nature allows their color to blend with the green plant and help hide them from preditors.
What do I need???
With my Eastern Black Swallowtail that just pupated, it happened to have picked almost the lowest place it could go to pupate. I had a stick in the cage, along with netting over the top so that it could climb to the highest point it could to pupate, but it chose the lowest.
Hope that helped.
This message was edited Sep 3, 2007 9:53 PM
Are they likely to sleep until spring now?
I always give the BST's something to climb onto and 99% of the time they use it. They will go to the top also or use the plant, like yours. I have 3 that attached to rue stalks about 2 months ago. One just eclosed today! It looks like the others might soon also. (weird) In your area they might go ahead and overwinter but keep your eye on them because I've had them eclose in the middle of winter, which is nothing compared to you all, but it was actually freezing and no food outside! I think it might have been because they were inside the heated house.
Thanks for the advice. I have them on the porch so the warm house won't bother what they want to do, and I added two sticks. Think I might put them in a cold garage for the winter so they stay dormant until it warms up. But maybe I won't have to worry about them, if they finish the cycle right away. This am they are still just eating and pooping.
Wouldn't know what to do without all of your hep. Thanks so much. Jean