Preparing For Winter

Spicebush Swallowtail (c)2013HVI

That chill is in the breeze; snow is near. This is one lucky little caterpillar. This particular Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus troilus) caterpillar; which was born and raised in my sassafras tree, formed its chrysalis at the corner of my chimney. It started the process on Tuesday (10/16) and finalized the transformation on Friday (10/18). I have noticed that the length of the process varies with the temperature. Colder nights seem to slow them down quite a bit. This caterpillar chose a spot the spend the winter in a fairly open and noticeable spot. That creates a major problem on my porch. It will not make it long enough to turn into a butterfly this spring. That is guaranteed. I saw 2 other Spicebush Caterpillars crawl up underneath my siding earlier last week. They made a better choice.

(c)2013HVI

Why will this one not survive? My Carolina Wrens will not let anything make it to spring on my porch. They will clean up all overwintering critters they may find. they are relentless in their search, too. Very efficient. Don't worry about our little friend, though. I have it taken care of. I keep a little wooden box, filled with leaves and chrysalis on the porch. It is completely wren proof. I have had 100% hatching success with this method, too. I don't go in search of the chrysalis'. I only collect the obvious ones which are out in the open.

(c)2012HVI

Hatch time for the ones I have saved is usually the 2nd week of May.

(c)2013 High Virginia Outdoors Photos (c)High Virginia Images All rights Reserved.

Butterfly of the Month/August

We are butterfly poor this year; I went out this morning to choose a subject for butterfly of the month. The only species present in any numbers (6) was the Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus troilus). This is a large butterfly of woodland openings and edges. The caterpillar feeds on Spicebush and Sassafras leaves. The adult butterfly feeds upon many flowers; including butterfly bush, milkweed and joe-pye weed.

I have both Sassafras and Spicebush in my yard and the Sassafras seems to be the most consistent host plant for the species. The caterpillar is the familiar caterpillar with the giant eye-spots.
The Butterflies Of West Virginia and their Caterpillars (Pitt Series in Nature and Natural History)

Photos by High Virginia Images    (c) All Rights Reserved

Caterpillar to Butterfly

The one Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus troilus) chrysalis that I saved from the Carolina Wrens last fall; became a butterfly today. I had 3 chrysalis' placed around my deck. Before I knew what was going on, 2 disappeared. I took the one that was formed on my chimney and placed it in a little wooden box. I filled the box with leaves and placed a rock on top of it; to keep the wrens out. The box was outside on my garden table all Winter.

One day, last week I noticed that some Spicebush Swallowtails were beginning to fly, so I put the chrysalis in a plastic plant pot and put an onion sack on top. Again this was wren protection. Today 5/18/11. the Butterfly emerged from its chrysalis. It is apparently to cold for flight and as of 8pm the butterfly is still holding on to the little wooden box.

I am glad that at least one out of last years brood that fed on my sassafras tree completed its cycle. The photos in this article are all of the same caterpillar, chrysalis and butterfly. I actually saw this caterpillar climb to the corner of the chimney and begin the process.

I wish that I could have saved the other 2; but they were consumed, before I knew what was happening. I have 8 Promethea Moth cocoons in the same sassafras host tree. I know that the woodpeckers and chickadees got a few of them over the winter. Some of them feel as if they are still all right. I guess that I will find out; if it ever warms up.

The Butterflies Of West Virginia and their Caterpillars (Pitt Series in Nature and Natural History)

Posted by High Virginia Outdoors       Photos by High Virginia Images