I have two questions. First of all, I've been raising Black Swallowtails for years, and I've never had this happen. . .I have one that is a chrysalis (one of my friend's too) and it hasn't emerged. I'm wondering if it is over-wintering, but that seems really odd since I have them inside.
Second question. I just noticed 10 new eggs on my plants outside yesterday. I'm in the DFW area. Right now it's 80's daytime/50's night-time. I have a friend that would like to raise some, but I'm concerned about the weather and if it will be too cold to release them in about a month after they've had time to pupate, etc. Should I just leave them outside? I know she could raise them in an unheated area, but I have a feeling that if they're in the garage all winter they might be forgotten.
What can we do? She's been waiting for her turn to get eggs for a couple months. I had a lot of friends wanting them this year. :-)
Black Swallowtail butterfly eggs
M.C. I'm glad you've raised the questions regarding their care. Several days ago I've noticed new eggs on my Parsleys. Today I believe these are the 1st instars that I see them hatched. Our weather should be about the same range. I hope there will be answers to these questions. I hope to see another brood of these beautiful butterflies in the garden, but I too wondering if they will have time to pupate. BTW, our first frost won't get here until late Nov.
The little tiny instars today. There are other eggs that have yet hatched.
Sigh, Dill, fennel & parsley in the garden......still no sign of any eggs! Well done!
I brought them in for a friend. I just wonder if I should tell her she needs to raise them outside to be sure the life-cycle is correct and we don't end up trying to release butterflies that lay more eggs which won't have time to grow.
They're so cute. :-) Mine are still eggs, but only laid about 3 days ago.
Mommacude, within 4-6 days your eggs will hatch. I've been following these develope on my parsley for the first time this year. Here they're today. They're bigger and begin to munch on my parsley. These are 1st and 2nd instars. These will gradually turn green with black stripes cuties larvae.
I left some outside and one of them thanked me by crawling up under my porch and pupating so I can watch for him to emerge in the spring. Not sure what will happen to the few I gave away. Hopefully they'll be OK too.
Mine, I didn't see any that morphed. Did filmed one cat. while it was wandering off to the shrubery for pupation. But I've lost sight of it. The other two dozens or so vanished from view. :((