I had 4 fritillary cats that I was raising....two were larger than the others. All four failed to make a chrysalis. They would make a J, swell up by their head, and one even began the shedding (I think?). But then they just sit there in that position. One fell off and died the same day it started, two others eventually just died hanging there, and the last has spent all weekend in that position. Does anyone have any ideas as to why this might happen? I would like to try some more but I would like to find out what went wrong first if possible so I might be able to help.
Thanks, Kim
reasons for failed pupating
I had something similar happen with a couple monarch cats last year because they were parasitized. It is really sad when you loose the little guys.
That is awful Kim. It is so sad to watch them for so long and then something happens and they don't make it all the way through. I am so sorry. I have had more trouble with gulf frits than any other butterfly. Don't know why.
One day last week I noticed 5 or 6 swallowtail cats in my dill patch. The next day I could only see one of them. I'm afraid the birds may have gotten them.
I figure it could be a parasitoid or more likely a butterfly disease. I was seeing cats starting to pupate then dying last year. Several species of cats were doing that.
I have had 5 gulf frits pupate and then die, some I even saw the parasites come out of the chrysalis, i think it is happening a lot.