Late Swallowtails

[reggorf]

A friend of mine found 5 Black Swallowtail cats on the celery in her garden. I now have them in a 2ftx2ft wood/screen enclosure. They have all chosen their spots to make their chrysalis. I am assuming they will not be eclosing until spring. I have seen a few other posts on this, but my questions is what temperature should I be keeping them at. Will they be ok if I keep them in my house in the lower 60's or will they hatch at that temp? If I put them outside, should I wrap the butterfly house up with plastic to insulate it a little? We get a lot of snow here. I could put them in my shed or inside my huge butterfly house outside that get wrapped with tarps. Any suggestions?

[Mona Miller]

I have some inside and one actually emerged on Tuesday. I thought they'd winter over. I put it into a glassine envelope and gave it to my neighbor who just returned from her mother-in-law's funeral. She had an amazing story to tell me.

"The swallowtail that you gave John and I to release spent some time with us. When I took her out of the envelope she walked onto my arm and stayed for quite awhile. Then I placed her on one of my butterfly bushes and she flew right back to the deck. When I put my hand down to her, she walked back on. Then I sat with her for a while at the picnic table. I tried the butterfly bush again and she flew back to the deck and then onto my arm again. Then John came outside and she finally took off on her own into my redbud tree. It was very interesting and a little heart-breaking. It was almost as if she was Alvira and was waiting until she could see John to say goodbye. Thank you, Mona, I won't forget this experience."

Alvira was John's mother. I told my neighbor that she should share this butterfly with John. That butterflies were a symbol of the soul.

Our weather was crazy last winter and is crazy now. I usually keep the butterfly pupae outside until it gets really cold. Last year I kept them on the deck (porch) in a net container, but had a terrible accident, which left them covered with snow and boards. Our porch broke due to too much snow. Then, I placed them into our garage. Most of them were fine, some did not make it.

[reggorf]

Mona, that is a wonderful story.

So, in your opinion, do you think they will be ok to overwinter in the lower level of my house, which will range from 45-65 degrees? If so, will I need to do anything to them, such as misting, covering the screen house to keep it dark and keep humidity in, etc? I am just concerned that if I put them in my shed, which I do not go inside all winter, or if I wrap up my big butterfly house with them inside, that they will eclose and I will miss it and they will die. I want to keep them inside but I just don't know what temperatures will keep them inside the chrysalis and what temps will cause them to come out. What do you think?

[Mona Miller]

I had Zebra ST in my basement storage area. Worked out fine until my son was doing a chemistry experiment and turned on the lights and opened the door (more heat, more light) my Zebra ST started emerging in February. Some went to the National Zoo's butterfly exhibit, to finish out their life. In late, February I released some and actually saw them withstand freezing temps and nectar on snow drops and crocuses.

If you mist them, only do it two times a month. I've heard that is enough to get them through the winter.

[sbannister]

Last winter I had a few in a net container inside because I thought they would overwinter. One eclosed unexpectedly in the middle of winter when we had very cold weather, because my house was nice and warm. I tried to feed it and keep it inside and hope we would get a warm spell to release it but my cat thought he would play with it through the netting when I was not looking. It was not a happy ending.

[reggorf]

so it has been 18 days. They have not emerged yet. I am keeping them on the lower level of my house by and outside wall. It is safe to assume they are going to overwinter?

[Mona Miller]

Nothing is guaranteed. I usually check on them to make sure they are still tucked inside their pupae.

[reggorf]

I still have all 5 little guys tucked away. They have not changed at all. I have not misted them yet. I probably should. i will be so excited if they make through the winter.

[Mona Miller]

http://www.raisingbutterflies.org/overw ... echniques/
Overwintering Techniques

"1. Pupae and Mature Last Instar Larvae. Keep in container with screen top. Mist spray every 14 days or so during the front end of winter; every 7 days or so on the back end. Adjust according to how immatures respond to humidity in their natural habitat. This group of immatures are LEAST sensitive to dessication and mold."

[sbannister]

Last winter I had a few in a net container inside because I thought they would overwinter. One eclosed unexpectedly in the middle of winter when we had very cold weather, because my house was nice and warm. I tried to feed it and keep it inside and hope we would get a warm spell to release it but my cat thought he would play with it through the netting when I was not looking. It was not a happy ending.

This year I overwintered the late pupae in a mesh container outside in a wind-protected area. They emergered last week. Lesson learned - keep in natural temps.

[reggorf]

So, I still have them in the same place and they have not emerged yet. I am thinking i will wait a few more weeks and then bring them up into a warmer part of the house to see if they emerge. WE have had a few warm days here but I don't think they got above 60 degrees where they are. I will post again in a few weeks after i move them. Wish me luck.

[Mona Miller]

I have my container of swallowtails in my garage. They have been emerging. But, I'm in zone 7a. I think a bit warmer than you are in Ohio. I have been misting them with water at least once a week.

[reggorf]

I have not been misting them. There is some humidity in the lower level of my house, so i am hoping that was enough. I had them next to 2 potted dogwood trees that I was keeping inside for the winter. I watered those over the winter and water came out the bottom of the pots into a tray. That water in the tray did not evaporate for almost a week. I would think that would mean it is pretty humid down there. I shall find out soon enough.

[Mona Miller]

I would take them out of the basement and start misting them. The mist is so that the pupae don't dry out. Outside the pupae would have the benefit of snow and rain.

[NickiM]

I had a swallowtail cat that pupated last October. I kept it inside all winter next to my backdoor--where it's farely cold--put a bowl of water in the container (when I remembered) to keep it moist. I must admit I let the water bowl go dry for quite awhile, because I honestly thought the cat was dead. Much to my suprise a beautiful, although small, black swallowtail emerged Friday. I didn't know it had emerged, but my cat did. I caught her sitting on the kitchen table next to the container early in the morning, but she jumped down as soon as she saw me, so I didn't even look in the container. Around noon my mom said, "There's a butterfly in here!" Fortunately, it was a lovely warm day, so I released it on my creeping phlox. I hope it finds a mate, but I haven't seen any other swallowtails yet--it seems very early for butterflys in Missouri.

[Mona Miller]

http://bugguide.net/node/view/2636/data
According to the Bug Guide data, you can have them in April.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/2636
Information on Black Swallowtails

[reggorf]

i moved them up off the ground onto a table, still downstairs though. they are between two windows. it is still quite chilly here. I am not ready for them to emerge yet. i misted them and put a bowl of water in the screen enclosure. there is still water in the container i had in there all winter. i thought i saw one wiggle when i misted so that is a good sign. i will move them upstairs where it is warmer in a week or two.

[Mona Miller]

Make sure the bowl of water is covered. I'm sure you probably did, but I had to ask.

[reggorf]

it has a sponge in the water.

[Mona Miller]

Great idea.

[reggorf]

so, I brought them up onto the table and misted them a few times. It got warm here for a few days, so I put them outside. Since then, it has rained, and rained, and rained a TON. We have had a few warm days. But no butterflies in my little butterfly house. It has gotten down in the 40s at night a few times since those warm days. Do you think I may have lost them over the winter, or should I just give them some more time?

[Mona Miller]

I hope you didn't put them in the full sun. Full sun can dry out the butterfly pupae really fast. Don't give up on them. Put them in a semi-shaded area. Wait. I've seen it some times take until mid-summer or later.

[reggorf]

No no, they are under my second floor deck. not full sun, mostly shade! It has rained a lot here, so they have plenty of humidity. I will just leave them out there and hope for the best. Thanks!

[reggorf]

I had a nice little surprise this morning! One little butterfly emerged sometime last night! YAY! I am so excited! I will probably wait to release it until tomorrow. We are supposed to get more rain!

[Mona Miller]

It's like waiting for a child to be born, but these children take longer some times.

[reggorf]

another one emerged yesterday morning. One is male and one is female. I am going to release them today. It is going to be a beautiful warm sunny weekend. Maybe they will stop by my fennel on their way out of my yard and lay some eggs for me. I still have 3 chrysalis's left.

[Mona Miller]

Success is sweet! Congratulations.

[reggorf]

One more emerged today. I released all three when i got home from work. 2 more to go.