20 August 2024
It’s possible you’ll bear in mind in early August once I wrote that two pals had black swallowtail caterpillars (Papilio polyxenes) of their gardens. By now these caterpillars are, or will quickly develop into, butterflies.
After Betty Rowland found her caterpillars on 1 August her neighbor, Aaron Johnson, loaned her a butterfly tent.
Quickly thereafter, on 4 August, one caterpillar posed within the pre-chrysalis place and the opposite had already develop into one.
Final Sunday I heard from Betty that after two weeks each black swallowtail butterflies had eclosed (emerged from chrysalis).
Each are feminine (picture at prime) which is simple to see from their coloration. Feminine black swallowtails have orange and blue highlights; males have yellow highlights with solely a touch of orange and blue (male pictured beneath).
After their wings dried, Aaron and his spouse Erica came visiting to assist the butterflies depart the tent. Aaron rigorously flipped the tent to allow them to out.
Ta dah! Two black swallowtails have accomplished the cycle.
For a fast refresher on butterfly life cycles, right here’s the monarch story from the American Museum of Pure Historical past in New York. Black swallowtails comply with the identical sample.
(Due to Betty Rowland for the photographs and story.)
