So the chrysalis I thought maybe might be a late release yesterday still has not eclosed. I’ve read that after 48 hours of it being this clear, if they don’t eclose, something went wrong and they are likely dead.
We decided to give it one more overnight and see what awaits me in the morning. I’m a bit worried because if it is a disease, this could affect the other last three in there. During its development, there was no odd dark spotting or discoloration, and I don’t see any of the tell tale “strings” if it was parasitized by tachnid flies.
When I threw the towel over the keeper tonight, two of the cats were now in chrysalis, one was still in J on top of the no eclosing chrysalis. I only didn’t take the milkweed containers out because there was no need to rush that, and one of the recent chrysalis is smack against the edge of the tank on the screen.
I have firmly resolved no top lid keeper next year. I think I’ve mentioned this before.
We did set another female butterfly free yesterday.
Haven’t found any recent eggs on our milkweed. I did casually look at a milkweed on the outside of a multi family house while walking about town today, and did spy one egg, but realized I had nothing to cut the plant with nor anything to put the leaf in, and left it. I might go back tomorrow to see if it’s still there.
It’s been a bit busy here, so I don’t know if I’ll have time for such.
I did find out a good spot to find more milkweed near one of the solar farms in town at our Conservation Commission meeting Monday eve.
Current count:
- Butterflies: 5 females, 3 males
- Chrysalis: 3 in keeper
- Caterpillars: 1 in keeper in J on the mesh
- Eggs: 0
0 thoughts on “Guardianship update: 29th August 2018”