We've got the butterfly kit and need help with the chrysalis bit please

[Elf]

Hi,, thanks to my last post we now have a lovely kit in the kitchen with big fat caterpillars and a couple of chrysalises hanging down.

However, I didn't find the instructions overly helpful. Could you tell me:

1 How do you actually move the chrysalis things? I'm scared of breaking them.

2 In the picture they are all in a kind of sack thing. Do you wait for them to be in one of those?

3 If so, do you pick up the sac thing and does it just stick to the side of the net garden quite easily?

TIA you more experience butterfly farmers.

[TheCheeseAlarm]

Are the chrysalises in a clear pot with a lid? If so then they will be attached to a piece of paper inside the lid. When they have all formed you take the lid off, carefully remove the piece of paper with the chrysalises and pin it to the side of the net garden. Some of ours fell off but they all hatched anyway.

[Elf]

Thanks CheeseAlarm. I didn't realise there was a removable piece of paper on the lid. Sorry to be very needy but when you say pin it, do mean, a safety pin say or sewing pin and literally just pin it to the net side? It just sounds a bit awkward. Thanks again.,

[powpow]

sorry i can't help. i had a different kiind and the pillars climbed to the top and hung themselves.
hope you get them up safely!

[Elf]

Powpow, they can get up to the lid by themselves - it's just that when they are chrysalises you are supposed to transfer them to the net garden. It is the transferring which worries me.

[powpow]

well, i imagine you would pin the papaer with some straight pins to the lid.
good luck, the transformation to chrysalis is the best part!

[charliecat]

I ordered from the same thread you did, ours are headng for the lid now too Muchly exciting

[feetheart]

Yes, pin with safety pin. Bit awkward but not impossible. Think one or two of ours didn't mke it the the top of the pot last year but they all still hatched. Think of them like newborns - they are tougher than you think

[mandymac]

Ours ate most of the paper lid bit before turing into chrysalis's - nightmare. So when I came to take them out to pin into the net, it was like a paper doily. I ended up reinforcing it with selotape - then panicking that their wings would get stuck when they hatched - so covering the sticky bits with tissue.
To top it all, they were due to hatch when we were on holiday, so had to give them to a friend to look after and they all hatched when we were away.
Did love watching them go from caterpillers to chrysalis's though.

[Tidgypuds]

This sounds lovely and something my DD would love. Could I have a link to the website from where you bought them please?

[charliecat]

i got mine from green gardener.co.uk i think

[powpow]

insectlore co uk

[charliecat]

All 5 of ours are hanging..cant believe how quickly its all happened. Quite freaky though...
Not looking forward to having to transfer them into the mesh cage.

[undercovercat]

How long should a butterfly take to find its wings? Ive been looking at mine since 2ish thins after noon and he still hasnt gone very far? Wings half out...

[undercovercat]

bump..

[undercovercat]

Hmm, the other 4 have turned in butterflies now and this ones wings are still not out
Am going to let the 4 healthy ones go and keep this one and water him till his time is up. He cant fly

[undercovercat]

here are the butterflies including the crinkly winged one