Post - Comments

Jeff comments on Post a Comment or Question

Jeff — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 05:51:12 +0000

Hi Todd,

great website and good information.

One concern I would bring up is that I think you should urge your readers to consider the danger of raising and releasing certain butterflies. For example, you describe how to raise White Cabbage Butterflies. While these little white creatures are pretty to look at when flying around, they are very detrimental to crops if they get a foothold. A White Cabbage Butterfly can wreak havoc on a garden in a short amount of time given the quick life cycle and voracious appetite of the caterpillar.

I commend you for showing the feeding damage. Please also urge your readers to recognize that this damage can be quite detrimental to the home gardener or local farmer and to not release the raised butterflies into the wild.

Thank you

Bill Rentz comments on Post a Comment or Question

Bill Rentz — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 18:23:28 +0000

I have raised anise swallowtail caterpillars in very large jars and fish bowls. Before they are ready to form the chrysalis, I put a straight, dry twig (e.g., dried fennel twig) in the bottom of the jar, in a standing up position, leaning against the side of the jar. Every time I have done this, the caterpillars have found the twig, climbed part way up, and formed their chryalis on the twig. I can then move the twig with the chrysalis out of the jar and put it wherever I want to. A couple of times, the chrysalises remained dormant for over a year. One was dormant for over two years before it hatched. If the hatching was delayed beyond the normal period of several weeks, I placed the twig outside in a location somewhat hidden by the leaves of a plant and let it be undisturbed until it hatched.

Becky comments on Post a Comment or Question

Becky — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 05:43:19 +0000

Hello. I have a swallowtail chrysalis that I am trying to hatch. I found the caterpillar the beginning of September and it turned into a chrysalis over the weekend. I didn't put it in the fridge. It was in my bedroom which has fluctuating temperature between cold as outside to quite warm. At the beginning of January I started to try and hatch it. I put a 75 watt light bulb to shine on it 24 hrs a day. I noticed the chrysalis would squirm from time to time when I first started this. It has not squirmed for about the last week or so and its tail is getting slightly wrinkly. If I feel the ceramic plate under it, it does not feel hot , but rather warm. Am I drying it out? Should I be spraying it once or twice daily with water? It has maybe turned slightly a lighter colour on certain areas since I first put the lamp on it but it is not going black, or getting smushy or anything. Is there still a chance it will hatch? Please advise :)

Joanne comments on Post a Comment or Question

Joanne — Sun, 04 Jan 2015 19:04:05 +0000

Hi Todd. I have about 15 Monarch Butterflies that have enclosed with in the last 3 days. I have raised them inside and my problem is the weather here in Texas is too cold and windy to release them. I have put sliced oranges, banana. Lantana flowers and also Milkweed flowers and also some fruit juice in a cup with a saturated paper towel for them. They don't seem to be eating though........do you have any suggestions? I was hoping the weather would be mild enough to release them but we are expecting short periods of freezing temps.
Thanks for any information or suggestions you can send my way.
Joanne

christos soulantzos comments on Post a Comment or Question

christos soulantzos — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 19:45:06 +0000

Hi Todd!
I just found your wonderful site after i found a cat (nowi found 4 more) on my parsley and i googled it and found you.
I live in Queens NY and i think i am going to raise them inside.
Would the butterflies survive the cold in the fall ? or theywill migrate south?
Thank you
Christos soulantzos

Melanie comments on Post a Comment or Question

Melanie — Sun, 31 Aug 2014 16:45:47 +0000

It is possible that a gray hairstreak uses lantana as a host plant? I live in Dallas and have seen it mentioned! but not sure. I did just find what looks like a chrysalis on my lantana while cutting it back. I'm going to see what emerges but was curious if you might know since it app rears you have a lot of experience with this butterfly.

Art And Doris comments on Post a Comment or Question

Art And Doris — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 21:27:35 +0000

We have been raising monarchs for many years , about 20 and more s yesr and one year over 60 but this year we only raised 4 and two other little worms vanished. Do the bigger worms sometime eat the little worms? Thanks

Suzanne comments on Post a Comment or Question

Suzanne — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 18:28:48 +0000

I have several chrysalis that have not open yet. It is August so I assume they will soon. Do chrysalis often Not open for some reason? Am I correct in thinking chrysalis also overwinter? Thanks.

Leigh Ann comments on Post a Comment or Question

Leigh Ann — Sun, 03 Aug 2014 07:57:23 +0000

Great informative website Thank you! I think my caterpillars have been poisoned with raid through parsley and need to know how to help them. My inconsiderate neighbor sprayed his raid garden spray in his doorway right next to my open window and my outdoor window garden for a bee issue in his doorway. He did not even use bee spray he used garden spray. My 9’X3’ Container Garden is mostly food such as herbs and tomatoes. Prior to spraying I already brought inside 3 swallowtail caterpillars .The caterpillars did not get directly sprayed with Raid. In hindsight I am now pretty sure the parsley did get quite covered with Raid and is likely a source of poison for 2 of my 3 caterpillars. 2 are suffering how do I help them detox? Is there anything i can do for them? One that did not have the parsley is fine The other two look curled in pain are not really eating. I used a light mist spray bottle to keep them hydrated, I washed one under a light drizzle from the water faucet when it did a gigantic poop. I was sure not to get the caterpillars head under the water. I keep them separated because I know they can be cannibalistic. I can’t get my hands on fresh dill plants until Monday so they only have clippings in a vase from whole food, What can I do to help them suffer less from possible raid poisoning? I regrettably sprayed an entire can of raid for spiders on a wolf spider once and it took him hours to die regrettably the raid was working too slowly s he was suffocated point being the Raid did not work at least in that case. I do regret killing the wolf spider but he was gigantic to me ,and caught me off guard! Raid doesn't always kill thankfully! What can be done to help the caterpillars to detox/live from the poison and is the behavior of curling up/not eating indicative of the poisoning? Or should I sadly take them out of misery? If I have to do that what is the least cruel way? The time line has been 24 hours one was sick yesterday he is still hanging in there. The other just ate the parsley today and has only appears to be sick in the last few hours. They have plenty of dill for now but i am not as sure as with the potted plants that the dill is pesticide free either. What do I do to help the possibly poisoned caterpillars please? Thank you.

Janet comments on Post a Comment or Question

Janet — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 16:57:32 +0000

I have seen a large yellow tiger stripe swallowtail drinking nectar from my zinnias & read that one of their host plants is willow. I'm a town dweller in Bisbee, Az & a native tree here is "Desert Willow"; Is that a suitable species for them? I started my 1st butterfly garden this spring & have several parsley plants. I have a lot of black swallowtails coming to my garden to feed & I now have 11 caterpillars in their 1st & 2nd instars. I've been moving these as I find them to a protected parsley plant I have indoors but I can tell I'm going to need a lot more parsley & it's getting too late in the season to get more potted plants. Any suggestions? I have read they will eat store bought parsley- is this so? I can't remember the last time I felt so much joy & excitement about something!!
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE HELP YOU GIVE! IT'S TRULY A BLESSING, Janet