My BST made his appearance in his critter keeper last night and was fluttering around in it this morning. I released him amidst the zinnias and blue mist flowers and he was a happy camper. It made me question what I would do if he needed to be released during a stormy couple of days. Can I use cut flowers in his critter keeper in the floral foam or do I have to try the sugar water thing? Thanks,
Annie
what to do if your butterfly emerges on a stormy day
Annie, they can usually go a day without food. Q-tips soaked in red Gatorade are good if you want to give them something. My real worry is about them flying into the sides of the cage and hurting themselves. To prevent that, I find that covering them up and making them think it's dark usually fools them into being still.
Melanie
Thanks, Melanie. Mine was going a little bananas this morning in the short time that I had him. I was glad he didn't hurt himself. As far as the red Q-tips go, do you try and leave them in the cage suspended somehow or do you offer it directly to the little guy?
I've had many eclose during rainy or winter days and had to keep them inside. BST's are the least likely to eat from something I provide, which is usually watermelon Gatorade soaked cotton pads. If you have a big enough cage and can put some nectar providing flowers they might use it, but they aren't the smartest of the species.
If you are so daring you can hold them and use a toothpick to uncoil their proboscis and once they taste it they will sit and drink. You hold their wings like if you were tagging them so that it doesn't damage them and they will be still. I'm not sure if there are still examples on MonarchWatch but you might look.
They fly around in the cages more when they are warm also. If you keep them in a cooler room or away from windows they will not beat against the cage as much either.