After 11 days this black swallowtail caterpillar is big enough to make a chrysalis. I had four caterpillars that I raised inside my pavilion. One caterpillar lived half of its life out in my garden box. The other three lived in my pavilion since they were eggs. I took pictures of each one to include in this post.
The caterpillar I showed eating in the beginning started to wander in search of a place to make its chrysalis. My first clue that something was wrong was that the caterpillar did not make a silk girdle around itself. That caused it to hang straight down. The picture below shows the correct position.
The next day I examined the chrysalis and discovered that it was squishy. The caterpillar inside died. It was very upsetting to have to dispose of it after caring for it and raising it. I know that its death was not my fault because I took very good care of it. Thankfully God has blessed me with many caterpillars.
My second caterpillar made its chrysalis on the parsley plant. First it attached its rear end to the stem. Then it spun a thin silk strand with its mouth and wrapped it around its midsection. The silk is so thin that is hard to see in the picture.
Can you find the chrysalis? Look how well it matches the parsley leaves! Black swallowtail chrysalises can be green or brown depending on its surroundings. They also have another way to protect themselves while in their chrysalis. If you bother them the chrysalis will start to move! While I was taping the pupae to a stick it started to wiggle. You only imagine how surprised we all were!
My brother, “Detective Joshua” found the chrysalis! Isn’t that funny that it matches his shirt?
( If you haven’t found the chrysalis yet follow the arrow.)
I taped the stem to a stick so the butterfly will have enough room to dry its wings. The parsley plant was too close to the ground. Sometimes caterpillars need a little assistance.
This caterpillar is going to make its chrysalis at the top of my butterfly pavilion. I wonder If it will be brown or green. Please send me comments of your guess.
This is the last caterpillar in my pavilion. I found it eating outside in my garden box. I decided to take it in for fear a wasp might eat it.
I'm real happy to have come across your site.
ReplyDeleteI had 3 Black Swallowtail caterpillars, one very small one * shed twice*, and 2 larger ones, probably 4th or 5th instar stages.
Yesterday, one of the larger ones was walking around the containger that houses the parsley on my deck. Today, he was gone. I wonder if he made his chrysalis in the parsley and I missed it?
Later this afternoon, the little one (black and white) was gone but I found him on the driveway. I put him back on the parsley plant and he's still there now at 7:19pm.
I'm going to search your site to see if there is a way for me to contact you through email, I'd love to show you photos and maybe you could give me some tips.
again, great job on your caterpillars, very informative!
Dee
I raise monarchs and this is my first time raising swallowtails. Hopefully no wasps got them.
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