something that started eating him.Just came home and found my big juicy caterpillar had fallen of the swan plant onto another plant would this have poisoned him or did something attack him!All his stripes had been eaten away and he was just about dead so I had to squash him :( Have just moved the plants to a more sheltered area as I seem to have lost a few.
justout,
Jan 2, 12:16pm
wasps love them
exwesty,
Jan 2, 12:42pm
Wasn't pupating and fell off the branch!
hannibalcat,
Jan 2, 12:47pm
I don't think he was that big that he was at that stage.He had been stripped back to a green core (hope that makes sense)
hannibalcat,
Jan 2, 12:49pm
I don't think he was that big that he was at that stage.He had been stripped back to a green core (hope that makes sense).Please tell me I didn't just kill him!1st time I have ever had a swam plant
hannibalcat,
Jan 2, 12:49pm
I don't think he was that big that he was at that stage.He had been stripped back to a green core (hope that makes sense).Please tell me I did just kill him!1st time I have ever had aplant
wheelz,
Jan 2, 12:55pm
Sounds like you killed him, he had just pupated! The case is very soft, pliable, and even wriggles or about a day until it firms up
hannibalcat,
Jan 2, 12:56pm
He didn't look like he had a case oh god
hannibalcat,
Jan 2, 12:57pm
He was kinda shivered up
wheelz,
Jan 2, 1:04pm
Yep they sorta ' shrivel' it takes about a day to firm up into the shape they are known for. Google monarch butterfly life cycle
wheelz,
Jan 2, 1:06pm
There's a good one on YouTube called " complete Life Cycle of the Monarch Butterfly"
hannibalcat,
Jan 2, 1:14pm
Thanks i'll do that - gosh i feel terrible. Could i have put him back on the plant!
eezy1,
Jan 2, 1:45pm
it sounds more like it got nailed by a lady bird larva they are real hungry little buggers,
mottly,
Jan 2, 2:29pm
all varieties of wasp will eat them too - good chance he was an appetizer.If he was turning, he would've been attached to something with a bit of web from his butt - if he was just lying somewhere, he'd been attacked. German wasps will try to carry them away for dinner, but other wasps will start eating them on the plant - sometimes they fall, and the wasp doesn't go looking.Put some net curtain over your plant just in case - eventually however, the wasps will work out how to get in there :(
hannibalcat,
Jan 2, 2:58pm
He definately wasn't attached but laying on a leaf of another plant.I have a few caterpillars over 3 plants - can I keep them inside!
nitronz,
Jan 2, 3:30pm
yes you can have them inside.you need large pickle type jars with a branch or two in, you also need to put something like a bit of net curtain over th etop attached with a rubber band.each day you will need to pick swanplant leaves and put fresh leaves in the jar. When they have become a chrysalis you can carefully remove them from the jar and attach them to teh swanplant or another plant with some cotton thread. you carefully tie the thread to the stump bit that they attach themselves with and then you carefully tie to a plant. I raised 65 monarchs this way a few years back.the wasps had been relentless.it is a bit of work.but its also kinda cool
lyng1,
Jan 10, 10:06pm
Yes, shift the plants inside to keep them away from the wasps, or cover with netting.
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