Martha,

I haven't done this before -- anyone with a good method should chime in,
because in the past I've figured if something is going to take 9 months of
neglect and then need me to remember it, it's better off outdoors. Once,
years ago, someone brought me a Black Swallowtail at Christmastime that had
come inside on her dill plant and emerged in the dead of winter. We kept it
alive indoors for about ten days. But it was sad.

It's a bit of a long story how I got this chrysalis, but I do need to look
after it. So I have it inside one of my rearing boxes -- a plastic shoebox
with a window cut out of the lid and window screen covering the opening. You
can tape this around the edges (which I've done) or use a heat gun or maybe
a glue gun to melt the screen onto the box more securely (which is better,
but I haven't yet done.) The paper towel the chrysalis is on is taped up to
the side of the box so it's vertical.

In a summertime box you need a damp paper towel or some other source of
moisture. In some boxes people put vermiculite in the bottom of the
container. Do I need something like this in the winter, when it'll be
outside? I don't know yet.

I have the box in a place on our screened porch, so it gets outdoor
temperatures but no sun. And I'm making myself a note on the April calendar
to put it where I see it every day.

I look forward to hearing from anyone on the list with suggestions --

Susan


----- Original Message -----
From: "Martha Pfeiffer" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, September 10, 2005 7:00 PM
Subject: Re: [VTLEPS] rearing caterpillars


> Susan,
>
> How do you over winter the canadian swallowtail?
> Would it be the same for a caterpillar of a black
> swallowtail?
>
> Martha
>
>
> martha
>
>
>
>
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