Last September I found two caterpillars munching on the anise stems in the garden. I put them both into my butterfly cage and fed them fresh greens daily.
Within three days they went into the chrysalis stage. I was so concerned that they would not hatch before the weather turned cold.
Well, they never hatch and one turned tan and the other stayed green. I was unsure if that one had died since it looked different from the green one.
I decided to put them in the garage for the winter months thinking perhaps they were hibernating. At least that was what I was hoping.
I put the cage outside on the porch at the end of April and looked every day for signs of life. As I was having my coffee one morning I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I was so surprised to see that the brown chrysalis hatched.
I thought those caterpillars were yellow swallowtails because I saw them flying about the gardens all summer, but apparently not. This one is a male Eastern Black Swallowtail.
I released him onto one of the hanging baskets to continue drying and strengthening its wings. After an hour on the flowers, he flew off.
I was so happy that I had kept them over the winter and now was hopeful that the green chrysalis would hatch too.
Sure enough, three days later the second male emerged. Total success!
When I opened the cover on the cage he became very anxious. I put him on my finger to place him in the flower basket. The winds were strong that morning and he fell onto the sidewalk.
I had to pick him up and place him into the Boston Fern next to the lounge chair where there was no wind. He stayed in the plant for a few hours.
When I came outside after lunch he had flown off. I am glad there are enough nectar sources for them with all the trees and flowers in bloom. I am looking forward to seeing them in the gardens this summer.
I planted lots of fennel and dill just in case they stay around and find a mate. I will be watching closely and hopefully get to raise their offspring just like I do with the Monarch butterflies every summer.
Until next time, this is Sunscape
Sun. Scape. Ing Your Day
What an unusual hatching @sunscape, and a big surprise for you as well. The butterflies are gorgeous, stunning colours!
Your photography is really good, thank you for sharing with us!
Thank you, @lizelle I was surprised more than you know that the butterflies hatched after 7 months. It was so exciting.
Wow, that's great! Right before your eyes, there was a transformation into a beautiful butterfly!
Stunning butterflies to enjoy around the garden in the future, hopefully they do settle. Perhaps the weather has brought them your way, wonderful way to tend to nature!
@tipu curate
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Thanks, Joan I was not sure they would ever come out of the chrysalis stage but am so excited to see it actually happen after so many months.
I see chrysalis in the garden, never witnessed them emerge. Butterflies in abundance at the moment along with some amazing moths at night. Have fun it's great to see life arrive to complete next cycle.
We are just now starting to see the annual butterflies arrive. I have never seen a moth cocoon but that would be fun to see emerge too. You must have a plethra of different varieties to enjoy.
Autumn I tend to notice far more, although they are here year round being a warmer climate.
Wow! Wonderful butterflies! You’re very skillful at nursing natural creatures and plants! We don’t have such big and colourful butterflies. Lots of small yellow butterflies.
I am surprised that you do not have more diversity with the butterflies.
😍😍😍😍😍
Very beautiful that you never gave up on them, just look at how beautiful they have become.
I had to give them a fighting chance and I'm so happy they emerged.
They are so pretty!
I would have never have thought they would hibernate for the window.
Kudos to you for knowing what might happen and put them in your garage, what a wonderful heart warming post.
You are so kind, @tengolotodo I could not be happier with the results. I saw one of them flying about the gardens today and it made my heart sing.
I bet it did. Firstly they are so beautiful and secondly it was you that had the presence of mind to let it live so to speak and get them to fly around.
Such lovely butterflies, it's amazing how a caterpillar would turn into a pretty butterfly. Nature♥️.
It is such a wonderful experience to see them emerge and then enjoy the nectar throughout the summer.
Hello @sunscape
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How very cool! They both survived the winter and hatched. So lovely!
I know right? I was so hopeful and they actually survived. I have seen them in the gardens this week.
What beautiful butterflies, I am impressed how you hold them through that whole process until you see them fly. It's magnificent 🤗