jillh
Mississauga ON
Posts: 31
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| Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 6:19 pm Post subject: tiger swallowtail chrysalis without thread |
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Hi, we have a tiger swallowtail that was living in a butterfly house (homemade) with a mesh cover and when it turned into a chrysalis it had attached to the mesh but has since fallen off. Will it still hatch into a butterfly or will it not be able to change this way? Is there anyway to reattach it?
Thanks,
JillH
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Sjoerd
West - Friesland
Posts: 6915
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| Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 1:00 am Post subject: |
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I don't know what the chrysalis of a tiger swallowtail is like, but if it is fuzzy like that of a cecropia or polythemus moth you could use a piece of velcro to attatch it to.
If it smooth, so to speak, like that of the Monarch, then you can try using that very sticky, doublesided-stikky sealing tape to re-attatch it to a verticle flat surface in it's normal upright position.
Good luck with this project.
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Sjoerd http://www.volkstuindersvereniginghoornenomstreken.nl/Page11.html
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jillh
Mississauga ON
Posts: 31
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| Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 11:44 am Post subject: tiger swallowtail chrysalis |
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It has been 10 days now from when the caterpillar turned into a chrysalis and we think it is still alive but it has not emerged yet. Does anyone know how long this could take? I thought 10 days might be the max.
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toni
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Plants Moderator
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North Texas, Zone 8a
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| Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 12:55 pm Post subject: |
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It usually takes two weeks for them to pupate.
Any chance you have been taking pictures of this process? We would love to see them if so.
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jillh
Mississauga ON
Posts: 31
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| Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 3:01 pm Post subject: tiger swallowtail chrysalis |
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I have a couple of photos and I can take another. I'm home the next 3 days and hopefully I'll catch it emerging. I did see on another website that it could be 10 to 14 days.
I have my "not so great" camera at home, the good camera is away on holiday right now with hubby and kids but I'll try to get some shots and upload them.
Jill
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jillh
Mississauga ON
Posts: 31
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| Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 1:59 pm Post subject: tiger swallowtail hatched! |
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Hello everyone,
The butterfly hatched and is now free in our neighbourhood somewhere. Unfortunately my family is gone on a "boys trip" so I couldn't share the joy with anyone except the dog and the video camera.
At 6:40 am the dog made noises and got up so I let him out and while I was in the kitchen I checked on the chrysalis (which has been our table centerpiece for 2 weeks now). The shell was cracked so I looked closer and then something in the cage moved. Sure enough, there was the butterfly with bent up wings and a huge abdomen trying to climb up the stick. He must have come out a minute or two earlier. I watched and filmed him for the next 40 minutes and then went to exercise. Came back, figured it was late enough in the morning to call a neighbour to borrow and camera and did get some great shots. I took him outside at about 9 am and he sat on our lavender (beside the plant where I found him as a caterpillar) for about 20 minutes just moving his wings like a fan until the moment I ran to get the camera for one last profile, he flew away while I was gone and I can't find him anywhere. Must have gone up and over the hedge quickly and is gone now.
Freedom!
I'll post some photos when my camera returns and when my neighbour copies the ones I took today.
Thank you for all your advice,
Jillian
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Frank
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Originally Galway, Ireland
Posts: 12352
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| Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 2:10 pm Post subject: |
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Great news Jillian, really looking forward to those photos. Isn't nature wonderful 
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eileen
Forum Moderator
Scotland
Posts: 18013
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| Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 4:03 pm Post subject: |
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So glad your butterfly hatched Jillian and I look forward to seeing your photographs. 
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jillh
Mississauga ON
Posts: 31
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| Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 2:13 am Post subject: |
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Here is our caterpillar. About 2 1/2 inches long and very well filled out. He was in the herb garden.
He's now starting to form that teardrop shape and is hanging from the screen lid of the enclosure. At this stage he is still holding on with his feet but later he spun a tiny silk thread that cradled his body and held it in place.
Here is the chrysalis stage. This happened overnight and we could see the little discarded skin ball that had been his feet. It was shed and left under where he was hanging.
12 days later at 6:40 in the morning I was lucky enough to catch the show. This was taken about 2 hours after he hatched since I didn't have my camera (it went camping with my husband and kids) so I had to wait until a decent hour to call a neighbour! He is hanging with wings down to let them fill up with the blood from his abdomen.
Ready for Take Off!
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kuntrygal
Texas ~ Zone 8
Posts: 3436
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| Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 3:24 am Post subject: |
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That is so interesting and amazing that you were there with camera in hand. Maybe he will come back and visit you someday! 
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toni
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Plants Moderator
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North Texas, Zone 8a
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| Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 3:33 am Post subject: |
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Gorgeous new butterfly. So glad that it's life cycle was able to continue with your help.
It isn't a Tiger Swallowtail tho, they are orange and black. What you have is a Spicebush Swallowtail - Papilio troilus Linnaeus
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glendann
Texas
Posts: 9228
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| Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 5:51 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the beautiful life that came to your kitchen and for making it possible to go free.
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Frank
Administrator
Originally Galway, Ireland
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| Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 7:54 am Post subject: |
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Thanks the photos Jill and the entertaining commentary. I'll forever be amazed by the dramatic transformation is such a short period of time.
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Sjoerd
West - Friesland
Posts: 6915
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| Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 8:54 am Post subject: |
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This is one of the most interesting 'metamorphosis' series I have ever seen.
The swallowtail butterfly is sduch a beautiful insect, What a shame that there is nothing like that over here.
Thanks very much for thefotos and story.
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eileen
Forum Moderator
Scotland
Posts: 18013
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| Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 10:55 am Post subject: |
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I still can hardly get my head around the fact that a caterpillar, which is totally different in colour, can become such a beautiful butterfly. Isn't Mother Nature just wonderful?!! 
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