ILiveInFlipFlops Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 ...can you give me some advice? We found two beautiful swallowtail caterpillars in my dill this morning. They were munching away vigorously (good thing I had way more than I could use). We got out our caterpillar tent and put them in it with some long sticks and good bunch of dill. Since then the smaller one has just been sitting, and the largest one is roaming the top of the tent, looking for a way out. Is there something I should be doing for them to ensure that they thrive in the tent? I'm pretty conflicted about keeping wildlife in captivity already :lol: I really want to make sure we don't hurt them by changing their environment. Also, I discovered that the little black "pest" caterpillars I've been squishing in the herb bed are tiny baby swallowtail caterpillars :( I'll stop doing that now! TIA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerileanne99 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 My dd5 has 15 Painted Lady butterflies that should be emerging from their chrysalides any day now:) this is the third year we have done it before releasing them into our garden. All they really do before making their 'j' formation is eat. If they are in your house, what temperature is your thermostat set at? If it is too cold they can get sluggish. Make sure they aren't in a direct draft from a vent as well. We lost a few one year because dd accidentally turned the ceiling fan on high in her room before we left on an overnight trip:( 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okra Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 All is fine with the caterpillars. The big one is wandering around looking for the "best" place to make a cocoon. They can do this for up to a day. Then, they will sit there for another 24 hours and get all dried out and dead looking. THEN, they make their cocoon. The little one is about to go through one of its Instars where they shed their skin. They pretty much just sit there for 24 hours before they crawl out of their skin. After they crawl out they usually are eating like crazy. So, your caterpillars are just fine. I believe they will be in their cocoon about 2 weeks. Have fun! We have much experience with Black Swallowtails. They are the most fun to raise. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted May 31, 2015 Author Share Posted May 31, 2015 My dd5 has 15 Painted Lady butterflies that should be emerging from their chrysalides any day now:) this is the third year we have done it before releasing them into our garden. All they really do before making their 'j' formation is eat. If they are in your house, what temperature is your thermostat set at? If it is too cold they can get sluggish. Make sure they aren't in a direct draft from a vent as well. We lost a few one year because dd accidentally turned the ceiling fan on high in her room before we left on an overnight trip:( Thank you, this is very good to know! It's 77 in here right, and the windows are open, but it's supposed be almost 90 later today, so we'll end up putting the air on. I didn't realize temperature was so important. We'll make sure we keep them in a warmish spot so they stay comfortable. All is fine with the caterpillars. The big one is wandering around looking for the "best" place to make a cocoon. They can do this for up to a day. Then, they will sit there for another 24 hours and get all dried out and dead looking. THEN, they make their cocoon. The little one is about to go through one of its Instars where they shed their skin. They pretty much just sit there for 24 hours before they crawl out of their skin. After they crawl out they usually are eating like crazy. So, your caterpillars are just fine. I believe they will be in their cocoon about 2 weeks. Have fun! We have much experience with Black Swallowtails. They are the most fun to raise. Thank you!!! After some of the reading I'd done, I was hoping this was the case, but I was afraid we'd disrupted them so much they were off their normal pattern. The big one is quite large, so I was thinking it might be close to ready for making a cocoon. We have lots of dill and lots (LOTS!) of parsley, so they'll have plenty to eat. I also just went down to look around in the dill, and I found three tiny baby caterpillars as well. If they survive long enough to get to this medium size, we'll probably bring them in too. We've had caterpillar tents for years and just never got around to doing this! I think I may be the most excited about it :lol: They are incredibly beautiful caterpillars. I hope we can take proper care of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne in CA Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Make sure not to touch them, and make sure the cat is far away if you have one. Other than that, enjoy your time with your butterfly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momacacia Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 We gave them a little bowl of water and as much parsley (or I guess fill in your case) as they could eat ! I also put sticks for them to climb on and cocoon on and tried to bother them as little as possible while still keeping them fed and watered. Enjoy! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 If you have a porch or deck to keep the tent in, that can be best. But not like a sun room that can get very hot. In the wild, very very few caterpillars actually make it to adulthood. There odds are much better in captivity if you've feeding the well. I'd push fresh food in daily and it was helpful to keep like a paper towel in the bottom for easier/quicker cleaning depending on the catepillar type. We've done painted ladies, monarchs. And we've also done cecropia moths. . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted May 31, 2015 Author Share Posted May 31, 2015 Thank you all for the great advice! I have one more question. Once the big caterpillar goes into its cocoon, how do I clean out the enclosure? I don't want to disturb it too much, but it's hard to see the frass to get rid of it without moving everything around a bit. I like the idea of a paper towel or napkin on the bottom; that should make it a bit easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 We have two swallowtails in our living room right now -- one is in its cocoon & the other is eating away tremendously. It was obvious from their different sizes that one was further 'along' than the other. They have been surviving on carrot tops (where they were found by my butterfly-loving dd). Enjoy! I found that I mostly have to reassure the kids that the caterpillars will be fine when they freak out that they aren't eating ... or that they are crawling everywhere ... or whatever. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okra Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 I want to add one more thing……. Just newly hatched caterpillars are the size of a period. Super tiny! If you collect tiny caterpillars or you accidentally bring them in when you collect more dill, keep them separated from the very large guys. The large caterpillars sometimes get very excited about eating….and they eat a lot. They can actually eat a tiny one without realizing. You might want to be careful about keeping the newly hatched caterpillars away from the very large caterpillars. Just FYI Also, I find putting plastic wrap over a container of water, and then poking the stems into the plastic wrap is a nice way to keep the dill fresh, and make certain the caterpillars don't fall into the water. Have fun! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne in CA Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 I had another thought, do not help them emerge from the cocoon, that will kill them. Even if they look like they are struggling soooo much, and you could just help a little, do not do it. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted June 2, 2015 Author Share Posted June 2, 2015 Thanks again, everyone! The big caterpillar is still working hard to eliminate my dill crop :lol: The small one is still sitting very still, doing nothing. It did, in fact, molt last night after I went to sleep. It was pretty cool to see the old skin (? exoskeleton? covering?) laying there all flat and shriveled this morning, and I was shocked to see how much bigger the caterpillar is now! I got the kids up to show them, and then while they were making breakfast, the little caterpillar diligently ate the entire old skin from tip to tail :ack2: Since then it's been sitting in pretty much the exact same spot for the whole day, with the exception of when I cleaned out the enclosure. We also got to see them poke out their osmeteria! So cool! I tried giving them parsley, but they didn't want it, so I'm just hoping I have enough dill to keep them going until they enter their cocoons. I thought about bringing in the little ones that are outside now, but I'm worried that I won't have enough dill to support them, and that critical points in their life cycle will coincide with our upcoming travel plans. I'd hate to come home to dead caterpillars or butterflies :( Hmmm, maybe I'll bring them to co-op on Friday and see if anyone else wants to raise them. Too fun! Now if I could just identify the teeny-tiny inchworms that come in on the dill, I'd be satisfied :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 You've inspired me. I think I might go and kidnap some caterpillars from my cabbages. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 critical points in their life cycle will coincide with our upcoming travel plans. Our monarchs were in large glass canning jars with light cloth tied over the top. They travel with you. :D 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 We've done monarchs and the only other thing is to make sure they have a safe place to go into a chrysalis with enough space. If they can't dry their wings correctly their wings dry crumpled and they will never fly properly. When you have the butterfly you can give them some paper towel soaked in honey and sugar water so you can watch the proboscis uncurl to feed. I did feel so scared at first until I realised that our house caterpillars had a better survival rate than the outdoor wild ones. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imagine.more Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Keep fresh parsley or dill in there and a sturdy stick for thr chrysalis and they'll do fine. We caught a black swallowtail caterpillar on our parsley last August and apparently they sometimes winter over in their chrysalis, which ours did! We kept her on our porch in a safe corner and even being knocked over twice she emerged 1 week ago! We let her fly off after a couple brief pics and pointing out her colors to the kids, it was a neat experience! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted June 3, 2015 Author Share Posted June 3, 2015 I'm on chrysalis watch tonight! Both caterpillars are now the same size. I can't believe how quickly the smaller one grew! Earlier tonight the bigger one attached itself to the stick, and we can see its little strings. Its colors have gone dull, and it's all squinched up. I'm hoping I see some action before I collapse in exhaustion :lol: If I'm still up, I may even wake the kids. So exciting! I still can't believe we've never gotten around to this before now :001_rolleyes: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 We've done Monarchs and Swallowtails - you're going to REALLY enjoy this!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okra Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Aww…. how cute. It is hard to catch when they change into their chrysalis. They keep getting more and more dried out looking, and then BAM you leave for a few minutes and the next time you look it is a chysalis. Honestly, the first time I saw one change, I thought it was just a bit creepy, but still cool. Oh, and one more thing…..just in case you didn't notice with your first caterpillar. Right before they silk themselves on, they will have something that looks like a very large bout of diarrhea. Don't worry, they are not dying. It's kind of weird looking, but it's just what they do. Make sure you have paper towels under them. If you need to leave on vacation before they are butterflies, take any caterpillars and put them back outside. Take the cage over to a friend's house and let them watch the chysalis' open. They just need to wait a few hours before letting the butterfly outside. They are very beautiful! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted August 10, 2015 Author Share Posted August 10, 2015 So I thought I would come back to this thread and post a funny update. Our first swallowtail hatched out about two weeks after I posted. It was a beautiful female, and I was hoping the second would be a male so we could see the differences. Instead, that one seems to be overwintering, so I thought we were done. About three weeks ago, I found four more caterpillars in my dying dill (which is all over the yard--man, does that stuff spread like wildfire!), and I brought them in too. Two made their chrysalises (chrysali?) within a few days, another made its chrysalis on a parsley stalk so it stayed bright green, and the last one is now full size and eating like crazy to be ready for the hard work ahead, so I was relieved to be almost done struggling to keep them fed. Well, today I went outside for some garden maintenance, and what did I find? TEN--10!!!--more swallowtail caterpillars all over the last of my undug carrots! I'm seriously considering keeping most of them and Freecycling the rest. DH thinks I've developed a problem. He blames you guys :lol: Hi, my name is ILiveInFlipFlops, and I'm addicted to metamorphosis... :willy_nilly: 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 I missed this post the first time, but it reminded me of the time when we found a monarch caterpillar near a creek by our house and took it home with us. I loved watching it become a butterfly over the course of a few weeks. We drove to California while it was still in its cocoon and took it with us because no one wanted to miss watching it emerge. We released it while we were camping in the Redwoods. I hadn't thought about that caterpillar in a long time. Thanks for reminding me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 It never gets old. We've done it for years while living in the Midwest, but monarchs while on the West coast. Currently we have two caterpillars and a chrysallis in the tank. Though, I warn you, if you have parasitic wasps in your area, learn how to find caterpillar EGGS rather than caterpillars. I won't go into the whole morbid story but parasitic wasp larva will turn your stomach. On that happy note, Don't forget to take pictures! Your kids will remember this fondly! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted August 10, 2015 Author Share Posted August 10, 2015 I did bring in four--the largest, two medium-sized, and a small one. They were all on the same branch, so I just snapped it off and transferred it in. I think I'll probably end up bringing them all in and then giving away some chrysalides to friends, so they can enjoy the magic in the spring :D It never gets old. We've done it for years while living in the Midwest, but monarchs while on the West coast.Currently we have two caterpillars and a chrysallis in the tank.Though, I warn you, if you have parasitic wasps in your area, learn how to find caterpillar EGGS rather than caterpillars. I won't go into the whole morbid story but parasitic wasp larva will turn your stomach.On that happy note, Don't forget to take pictures! Your kids will remember this fondly! Oh, your warning just made me feel light-headed! I can handle just about anything bug-related, but for some reason parasitic things just really, really freak me out. At what point would the wasp larvae emerge? Prior to the chrysalis stage? UGH, that never even occurred to me! Pictures never occurred to me either, and I usually take pictures of everything :lol: I'll be sure to take some today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daria Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 It never gets old. We've done it for years while living in the Midwest, but monarchs while on the West coast. Currently we have two caterpillars and a chrysallis in the tank. Though, I warn you, if you have parasitic wasps in your area, learn how to find caterpillar EGGS rather than caterpillars. I won't go into the whole morbid story but parasitic wasp larva will turn your stomach. On that happy note, Don't forget to take pictures! Your kids will remember this fondly! Why did I google that? Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Also, if you can't easily find caterpillars, check your local bait shop. I've purchased quite a few different kinds of insect larvae (actually, usually they just give me a couple when I explain it's for homeschooling. I think DD and I have provided quite a bit of comic relief to them over the last few years). Not as pretty as monarchs or swallowtails, but it's kind of neat to get various moths and beetles, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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