31 Orange Tip chrysalises

[Jack Harrison]

I currently have 31 Orange Tip chrysalises. I grow Sweet Rocket (aka Dame's Violet) in the garden and it makes excellent cut flowers for indoors.
But with it come Orange Tip caterpillars. Hence now all these chrysalises, all but one from the garden plants.

Not a single case (at least at this stage of the life cycle) or parasitism and no cannibalism.
100% success rate larvae >>> pupae

Jack

[chriscooper111]

Seen loads of Orange tips in the wild this year on the garlic mustard think its a good year for any pupa that over winter. Wading through speckled browns and meadows the last few weeks. I am in Harrogate North Yorkshire and we had a really cold wet April and early May with virtually no sunny days which I think really affected the first breed of the species like the Peacock, small tortoiseshell and Comma that over winter in the butterfly state. Seen virtually no Tortoiseshell adults or larva this year yet but plenty of peacock larva. I keep a few of each in a butterfly house with living nettle plants and have 2 in reserve and they successfully breed in there every year. I also over winter 3or 4 of each to give me a start in April. I also over winter elephant hawk moths and Cinnabar moths.

[chriscooper111]

[David M]

Good luck with them, Jack. I'm sure they are in very safe hands.

[Jack Harrison]

Orange Tip pupae.

Poor science as I didn't make proper notes.

2023s batch of about 31, 12 emerged (and released), 10 died and another 8 (still looking very healthy) are going to overwinter a second time.

2024 - 9 pupae

At least, there is some pretence of 'science'. I am keeping the two batches separate.

And as I am getting on in years (85), my younger wife has instructions as to what to do with the Orange Tips in spring 2025 if I'm not still around then

Jack