Let's talk about butterflies that overwinter

Yesterday the day was mild and sunny, I noticed some Dogface and Sulfurs on my red salvia which I am desperately trying to keep alive as long as I can. I fear tonight because of of a threat of a hard frost this will be the end of it.

I have hung up and loaded my "butterfly brew" log and have only seen wasps and flies so far. Which fruit eaters and others that overwinter should I see? A month ago I had a Question Mark and a Red Admiral on a rotting bananna. How about those two, will they overwinter?

I don't personally know, but check out this great info debnes_dfw_tx put together and posted on one of the earlier daily butterfly threads...maybe this will help? :-) http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=5786177

Thanks for the link, she did a great job. All my questions answered.

I have a school garden where my second graders spend alot of time. We had so many black swallowtail cats that we brought a few inside and put them in a butterfly net (house). We fed them fennel and eventually they formed cocoons. This was in late October. Should I keep the cocoons inside or outside. I have done both and I'm afraid that will hurt them.

They need to be kept somewhere unheated. It could be indoors if there's any place not heated at all...and where it can be checked often by someone. But butterflies will usually emerge during winter if they're kept in a heated building. And that's not good, if they're a species like the Black Swallowtail that needs to overwinter. I've got some chrysalides outside on a covered deck, but inside a clear plastic container that I can see into. I check it fairly often in case a butterfly emerges in spite of everything. The container I have them in protects them from animals and insects that might otherwise destroy them.

Thank you,Linda. I just joined this website today and I am so glad I did!

I will transfer them from the butterfly net to a clear plastic container. Hopefully I haven't killed them by keeping them inside too long.

Thanks,
Tina

You might also mist them briefly every two weeks or so.

I will do this. I will let you know if I have any success with the butterflies.
Again, thank you so much for the advice.