Mrs_Ed - Hope you enjoy this day (bd) as much as I enjoy your pics and comments on Monarchs and associated winged visitors.
J
Monarch Migration
Happy Birthday MrsEd!
Thanks, everyone! Gosh, don't you wish we could see some butterflies? This weather is awful!
I pulled some monarchs off my milkweed a couple of weeks ago when we had a hard freeze coming. They are now happily eclosed. Is it okay to now take them outside even though we have more cold weather coming? I am afraid I won't see them when they emerge as I am not on active butterfly duty out in my hobby room. Will they possibly wait until Spring?
Annie
No they won't wait Annie.....The Monarch is a "set your watch by" type of butterfly. It takes 10 days for them from chrysalis to emerging as butterflies. They should be very close if they pupated soon after you brought them in. In your area they should be fine if the temps aren't lower than 40 at night. But since you have them in....enjoy the experience of seeing them emerge!!
It is something you wouldn't soon forget. Even if you don't see it, you can release them when the sun comes out, and take pictures. They will climb on your finger easily.
They will emerge usually very early in the morning, and must hang and allow the wings to dry. They won't take nectar for several hours, so if the weather is bad you can wait until the next morning. You might bring in some zinnias, or milkweed blooms if you have some not frozen. Mine are gone now. :-( Here is what the chrysalis will look like the morning they emerge, if up late the night before you may see it darken then.
Best of luck...and other questions just ask and someone will help.
Sheila, I have a BST wintering in its chrysalis in my garage which is unheated. I read that BST's will winter in their chrysalises. I believe I read this in a list you provided of how BFs overwinter.
However, Gulf Frits are not on that same list. They are instead in your list of adults that overwinter or migrate. As I write, I have a GF pupating indoors. He just went into a J-shape but has not yet molted into a chrysalis. Should I keep it indoors til it ecloses and then release it outside? That seems to me to be quite a shock. On the other hand, I could put the chrysalis in my garage (unheated but sheltered), and release it from there when it ecloses. What do you suggest?
Martha
Hey Martha, that was Debnes that published the list. However my suggestion would be placing it in the unheated garage with all of the cold weather waves we have been getting. It is suppose to be about 23 here this next week!! They will usually overwinter in chrysalis form; for one, there isn't much for them to nectar on this time of year.
My first GF that I kept in the house a couple years ago emerged on an icy day. I kept hoping it would warm up outside but never got out of the 30s and the plants froze. I tried the Gatorade fruit flavor that some suggest and kept waiting, but unfortunately it died before the weather improved.
Awwh, how sad, Sheila. I fear that is what will happen to my GF. Anywho, thanks for the info. I seem to always be learning new things on this thread.
Debnes, AGAIN, forgive my mismatch of you and Sheila. Something's wired wrong in the brain! LOL
Martha
;-)
Annie.... When did the Monarch go into chrysalis?
Sheila,
For once, I can't answer that. I went unexpectedly into the hospital and told my husband to keep the caterpillars fed until I got back. I was gone longer than expected and I do not know the timing. I went into the hospital on the 5th (large cats at that point) - returned home on the 12th and they were in chrysalis. Since you are near me, you know we are going to get some nasty weather soon so I hope they don't emerge!
Annie
Just keep an eye on the coloration of the chrysalis. It has been nice up here today, it would be great if it emerged tomorrow and you could let it go before the storm came through. Other than that, maybe pick some flowers for nectar if it is going to freeze in your area. They don't migrate unless the temps are 51 or less. So hopefully it will nectar and take off.
Miss my butterflies...:-((
I was down in my greenhouse today. There are a few pentas with some blossoms, the rest are begonias, bouganvillias, roses, euphorbia, impatiens, that's it I think for anything blooming. If the weather is bad, which it will be for the next couple of days at least, I could try to release in there. I could always run down to the nursery and see if they have anything in bloom that has been in their greenhouses to try and stretch it out.
Annie
I guess there isn't any darkening or mishapening of the chrysalis as yet?
Nope, still pretty and green.
I've just planted Mexican milkweed for the spring, I am in TX & saw this milkweed in LA with lots of Monarch's on it..so i am assuming it is safe in my area...I hope so as I love the look of the plant & the fact it attracts the monarchs.
Annie....surely by now you have a butterfly??
I just went to Plant Files. I don't see a difference in Mexican milkweed and Tropical Milkweed. Who can differentiate?
Martha
Yes, the first butterfly arrived on Christmas Day (night) and I released it yesterday. This morning the other chrysalis is maybe starting to darken so I might have another in a few days. This one is taking his sweet time! I was at our native plant nursery yesterday and noticed they had butterfly weed blooming so if he comes out on a horrible day, I will go buy one of their plants and put it in the greenhouse and he can hang there until better weather.
Annie
Congradulations!!! Glad the cold has passed for now, though the winds might present a problem for them, lol!
It is always something in Texas! Poor butterflies!
Oh Annie, a butterfly in winter..how beautiful!!!
It is wonderful, but you worry so much about them. The weather generally isn't cooperative and the food sources are scarce. This is a tough season for butterflies!
so true..that's why I left out my annuals as late as possible...to get those that are late..but now the frost has killed them....hopefully they found a good "home".