Butterfly Watch

[ChanellG]

It's both fun and frustrating, lol. I have to go out constantly to check on them because they are often crawling off someplace and there are a lot of wasps around now - I saw one attacked by a wasp last weekend; not pretty. A couple of small ones have perished and something happened to one that was pupating (I suspect it was another wasp because I found one in the enclosure the same day.

I chased another wasp off this morning with soap spray I happened to have in my hand as I was passing by the habitat. Fortunately there are only a few left that haven't pupated so I won't have to worry much longer. I'm going to isolate the plants after this batch so I don't get anymore eggs. It's time for a butterfly break!

 

[maddie]

It's both fun and frustrating, lol. I have to go out constantly to check on them because they are often crawling off someplace and there are a lot of wasps around now - I saw one attacked by a wasp last weekend; not pretty. A couple of small ones have perished and something happened to one that was pupating (I suspect it was another wasp because I found one in the enclosure the same day.

I chased another wasp off this morning with soap spray I happened to have in my hand as I was passing by the habitat. Fortunately there are only a few left that haven't pupated so I won't have to worry much longer. I'm going to isolate the plants after this batch so I don't get anymore eggs. It's time for a butterfly break!

You sound like a real mother hen Chanell. Lol I would love to have some butterflies .. oh no let me not get started on that again. Please post pictures of your baby shallow tails as they emerge. I will be waiting to see them.

 

[ChanellG]

You sound like a real mother hen Chanell. Lol I would love to have some butterflies .. oh no let me not get started on that again. Please post pictures of your baby shallow tails as they emerge. I will be waiting to see them.

It feels that way too, Maddie. The swallows supposedly stay in their chrysalis for two weeks so if that's the case, I won't be seeing them until about August 4 or later. The first of this batch of monarchs will emerge beginning this Saturday or Sunday. I'll have to keep an eye on them this weekend because they pupated indoors and I haven't figured out yet how to transfer them.

 

[Babble64]

It's both fun and frustrating, lol. I have to go out constantly to check on them because they are often crawling off someplace and there are a lot of wasps around now - I saw one attacked by a wasp last weekend; not pretty. A couple of small ones have perished and something happened to one that was pupating (I suspect it was another wasp because I found one in the enclosure the same day.

I chased another wasp off this morning with soap spray I happened to have in my hand as I was passing by the habitat. Fortunately there are only a few left that haven't pupated so I won't have to worry much longer. I'm going to isolate the plants after this batch so I don't get anymore eggs. It's time for a butterfly break!

Sounds more exhausting than raising humans!

 

[ChanellG]

So this morning I was in the yard and looked in on the marigolds in the butterfly habitat because they dry out so easily. I'd also put other two milkweed plants inside to re-leaf as I'm now caterpillar free. Or so I thought. Not only were there two monarch babies in the habitat, there was a female butterfly!

The ones indoors should have emerged first, but there she was just hanging on the side edge of one of the marigold pots. I had to move another plant to get her out, but as soon as her pot was clear of the mesh, off she flew.

 

[maddie]

So this morning I was in the yard and looked in on the marigolds in the butterfly habitat because they dry out so easily. I'd also put other two milkweed plants inside to re-leaf as I'm now caterpillar free. Or so I thought. Not only were there two monarch babies in the habitat, there was a female butterfly!

The ones indoors should have emerged first, but there she was just hanging on the side edge of one of the marigold pots. I had to move another plant to get her out, but as soon as her pot was clear of the mesh, off she flew.

I was hoping to see more of your pictures here. I'll wait until you post them. I guess you are busy taking care of your baby butterflies.

 

[ChanellG]

I haven't had a chance yet, Maddie. The last indoor pupa, the one that wasn't attached to anything emerged early this morning, and of course it fell before I could get it to it and bring it outdoors. I put it on the citronella so hopefully I was in time and it can straighten out it's wings. I had to figure out a way to suspend it so it would have a chance to survive.

When I got up this morning and started thinking about the day and what I needed to do I suddenly remembered this one and rushed to check. Then rushed to get it outdoors (in my nightgown, lol). I hope it makes it; it's so sad when they don't. Next time I will have to figure out how to hang it someplace outdoors.

Here's one of the swallows that emerged yesterday:

 

[Steve Denning]

Well, you've inspired me, I'm off to make my own little piece of butterfly heaven!

 

[ACSAPA]

I haven't had a chance yet, Maddie. The last indoor pupa, the one that wasn't attached to anything emerged early this morning, and of course it fell before I could get it to it and bring it outdoors. I put it on the citronella so hopefully I was in time and it can straighten out it's wings. I had to figure out a way to suspend it so it would have a chance to survive.

When I got up this morning and started thinking about the day and what I needed to do I suddenly remembered this one and rushed to check. Then rushed to get it outdoors (in my nightgown, lol). I hope it makes it; it's so sad when they don't. Next time I will have to figure out how to hang it someplace outdoors.

Here's one of the swallows that emerged yesterday:

Wow, Chanell. You keep busy. You're a prolific gardener with an encyclopedic knowledge of plants and now a butterfly whisperer. Is there anything you can't do?
That butterfly is gorgeous.

 

[Babble64]

So this morning I was in the yard and looked in on the marigolds in the butterfly habitat because they dry out so easily. I'd also put other two milkweed plants inside to re-leaf as I'm now caterpillar free. Or so I thought. Not only were there two monarch babies in the habitat, there was a female butterfly!

The ones indoors should have emerged first, but there she was just hanging on the side edge of one of the marigold pots. I had to move another plant to get her out, but as soon as her pot was clear of the mesh, off she flew.

LOL...you're in the Twilight Zone and the butterflies are your "nightmare". I think I could live with that!

 

[ChanellG]

Can't wait for these seven Monarchs and two Swallowtails to pupate. I'm going to put the baby plants in the habitat - which is my greenhouse covered in mesh - to get bigger before I leave any milkweed out to allow for egg laying again. I also have one Swallowtail and one Monarch chrysalis each from the last batch of caterpillars.

It's work, but it's so wonderful to see the fully formed butterflies emerge. It's heartbreaking when their wings don't open properly, but I've only lost three out of about two dozen or so. The setup I have now should prevent having to bring them indoors anymore so that should increase their chances.

 

[Babble64]

Can't wait for these seven Monarchs and two Swallowtails to pupate. I'm going to put the baby plants in the habitat - which is my greenhouse covered in mesh - to get bigger before I leave any milkweed out to allow for egg laying again. I also have one Swallowtail and one Monarch chrysalis each from the last batch of caterpillars.

It's work, but it's so wonderful to see the fully formed butterflies emerge. It's heartbreaking when their wings don't open properly, but I've only lost three out of about two dozen or so. The setup I have now should prevent having to bring them indoors anymore so that should increase their chances.

I think when someone asks you your hobbies you'll have to add "butterfly raising" to "gardening" and the rest of your list. Anyone who's been as faithful as you have is certainly an enthusiastic in my opinion!

 

[ChanellG]

LOL, I have that listed under what I do on my profile on another web site. I keep trying to keep these caterpillars out of trouble, but they keep pupating in less than ideal places that then makes it difficult for them to hang and dry their wings when they emerge. If the wings don't fan out properly they can't survive.

Had two emerge this morning; one fell even though I put a plant under it just in case and the other I found sitting in the grass near the habitat. I gave each something to climb on so I could safely pick them up and relocated them to a plant they could hang from and "work" their wings. One had a good chance of survival, but I don't think the other will make it.

This aspect of raising butterflies drives me crazy.

 

[Babble64]

LOL, I have that listed under what I do on my profile on another web site. I keep trying to keep these caterpillars out of trouble, but they keep pupating in less than ideal places that then makes it difficult for them to hang and dry their wings when they emerge. If the wings don't fan out properly they can't survive.

Had two emerge this morning; one fell even though I put a plant under it just in case and the other I found sitting in the grass near the habitat. I gave each something to climb on so I could safely pick them up and relocated them to a plant they could hang from and "work" their wings. One had a good chance of survival, but I don't think the other will make it.

This aspect of raising butterflies drives me crazy.

It really DOESN'T sound much different from raising human children!!

 

[Gina145]

LOL, I have that listed under what I do on my profile on another web site. I keep trying to keep these caterpillars out of trouble, but they keep pupating in less than ideal places that then makes it difficult for them to hang and dry their wings when they emerge. If the wings don't fan out properly they can't survive.

Had two emerge this morning; one fell even though I put a plant under it just in case and the other I found sitting in the grass near the habitat. I gave each something to climb on so I could safely pick them up and relocated them to a plant they could hang from and "work" their wings. One had a good chance of survival, but I don't think the other will make it.

This aspect of raising butterflies drives me crazy.

Unfortunately that's the way it is in nature - survival of the fittest. Not all will survive no matter how hard you try.

I've been through this with a couple of birds that used to live in our garden. The first year only one of their eggs hatched and that baby seemed to be doing well. Then one morning I looked out of our window and it was dead. The second year both hatched but after a while one baby grew to twice the size of the other and then the little one died. A few days later I kept looking out of the window and couldn't see any of the family. Eventually I went into the garden and they weren't there. There was no sign of a dead baby either, but it was too soon for it to have fledged. The parents returned about a week later, but I never did find out what happened to the baby.

It was heartbreaking because I tried so hard to protect them. The "nest" was a heap of stones on the ground and the babies were running around within hours of hatching, so they were pretty vulnerable. During the period we had eggs or babies in the garden I kept their territory roped off and watched our garden service closely to see that they didn't get too close to them. But in the end there was nothing I could do.