I found this attached to a leaf when I pulled out a pot to rearrange. I had to take it out from there as there were some ants getting attracted to it. Hope it has not damaged the insect inside. It is beautifully shiny in gold, not too yellow though. Which beauty is inside it?
wow that is beautiful
I am not at all certain, but this could be a chrysalis of the common crow (Euploea core; Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) - see http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Common_crow_pupa.jpg.
That picture in the link has been deleted - not showing.
Well, you may be right because I captured a common crow close to where I found this pupa probably laying eggs on the oleander leaf. Am I right?
Hmmm. That link worked before, but you're right; it seems dysfunctional now. Try http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euploea_core - it includes an image of the pupa along with much detailed information on this species. It has a very wide host plant range, including oleander.
That pupa is beautiful!
How wonderful. Will the butterfly still emerge ok?
I think so, kniphofia.
Did you move it to a safe place? Can you keep us updated on its progress?
Sue
Yes, till Friday I'll. After that, we are away for a week [tell you later about that too -- keep watching]. I only hope this little thing comes out safe. It's on my desk in the room. I wonder if that is okay. I don't want to close the lid on something. Kept it open.
Amazing!
Do you have a critter keeper? It would probably be best to put him in a cage of some sort...when he emerges you want to be able to let him go outside and that's easiest if they are in a cage, otherwise how will you catch him if he's flying around the room?
Also, put a stick in there by him so he can crawl up it to let his wings hang down and dry.
Good suggestion. Will see if I can do that.
Dinu,
I can't help but see the end of your chrysalis looks like a Monarch's. If you can tie a piece of thread just around the creamaster (stem looking thing at the left of your picture). Then hang or pin it up so it can hang like those in my picture. The butterfly will emerge and hang to unfurl it's wings and hang there until dry. Process takes about 3 or 4 hours on cooler days. Also don't place it in direct sun, some is ok.
Good luck! Look forward to seeing what you have.
I found one more beneath the oleander leaf today. I keep my fingers crossed to the one that is indoors.
This is definitely the Common Indian Crow.
I have raised a few of this one's caterpillars and released the butterflies at home.
You can take a big plastic bottle and poke holes in the lid. Then suspend the branches of oleander from one of the central holes with thread. This can be done with the caterpillars especially, they're quite happy feeding from a branch suspended upside down, as long as it has new leaves.
One thing I've noticed is that the butterfly emerges early morning, though I'm not sure how this varies with temperature, around the 8th morning after it has pupated.
I'm attaching a picture of a caterpillar I had.
Thanks nush. I found this image in my album, I think from an older batch.
We have a match! LOL! Beautiful pictures of both cats! It looks like that one needs to be added to our Bugfiles data base.
Sheila.. I'm going right over there and adding this image.
I wonder if you could cross the common crow with a monarch? XD The species are so similar, its amazing.
Dinu, did you get to see your bf emerge?
No Sheila. I could not. I was to leave home for 9 days when I posted that picture. By the time I came back, I forgot to look at it because all my focus was on regaining lost health. It took me another week before I came back to normal. So I lost track of it. Next season, I'll try and implement the ideas. The oleander blooms are also eaten by some caterpillar now. No flower!
The Orleander may be host plant for these in your area. http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/fasulo/woodypest/333.htm They are the larvae of the Polka-Dot Moth that looks like a wasp.
