The last of the caterpillars we were sheltering has emerged from their chrysalis. Check out the retrotastic colorway on this buckeye spp. I guess it's time to go on a caterpillar hunt.
#pollinators #nature
@tippitiwichet how did you shelter them?
@peeppeepcircus Here's one I haven't cleaned out all the way yet. I took the plantain out when they were all in chrysallisises (chrysalli?) The oak leaf has one on the bottom, that's why it's still in there, low so they had a bit of space to dry their wings. It's too small. I almost bought a mesh shelter this spring, then decided on getting it the next month, and didn't. Next year for sure, maybe even next month if we manage to keep finding them.
@tippitiwichet i had a mesh shelter for butterflies. I put it outside when they were ready. but I don't think I will do that again.
(ants attacked them 😢)
i raised 'pillars last year-- bc one day i had 14 monarch 'pillars on my milkweed & the next day they were ALL gone, so i think birds got 'em :(
so i got a tent & started raising 'pillars, lots of swallowtails on my fennel, monarchs from a park i volunteered at. great success at first, but later on several didn't emerge & that broke me, i blamed myself (don't know what i did wrong but am sure it was me)
how's your success rate @tippitiwichet? do some just ... not? or just me?
@fernfren @peeppeepcircus So far, only lost 1 of 5, but the year is young. Growing milkweed now, but haven't yet seen any caterpillars. I had them outside on an invasive vining species of milkweed, I let the vine be so they could live, but lost all three caterpillars I found, thus the plan to start providing shelter. I heard the mesh ones outside are supposed to be better for them, they do better with the natural cycles and whatnot. Maybe with a moat to prevent ants?