What should I do?

[Featherstick]

I was given some cabbage and kale a while ago upon which I found some eggs. They successfully hatched a week ago and are now doing very well. There was also a large caterpillar which I've housed in a small aquarium with food and paper towels. It was doing well for a week or so eating good amounts of cabbage, but became extremely sluggish and rigid - it barely moved and ate nothing for about a week after. If I lifted the cabbage it was on for cleaning, it rolled onto its back and stayed there. Anyway, against all expectation, I found this morning that it had turned into a lovely chrysalis but it was not attached to anything, having ignored the twigs and sticks I placed in the aquarium from the outset. Should I superglue it to a stick? Why did it ignore the twigs? Any help would be fantastic because I've never done anything like this before and am feeling really responsible for the little fella

[Mikhail]

The caterpillar wanted to bury itself in the earth before pupation. It shouldn't be attached to anything. Just keep it in a cool place for the winter.

Misha

[Featherstick]

Thanks Misha. Blimey, I hadn't even thought of that. Will it be ok do you think? I just assumed it was a large or small white because it was eating cabbage and that it wouid pupate above ground. Should I put a layer of soil over it? Will the others that I have want to bury themselves too?

[Dave McCormick]

I think this could be a Cabbage Moth: http://www.ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=4433 I had many on my brussel sprouts this year and I am overwintering the ones I rescured and reared. Is that the caterpillars you had? They start green and usually turn brown before pupation.

[Featherstick]

This is the fella - it didn't turn brown at all. ???
His eyes became a metallic brown colour a few days before he pupated, but that was all.

[Featherstick]

These are the other caterpillars. Are they the same?

[Dave McCormick]

Hi Featherstick,

The bottom ones are large white butterfly caterpillars. When they pupate they should go into hibernation. I reared them and all my pupae are in hibernation.

The green caterpillar you have might be Angle Shades, not sure: http://www.ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=814 and if it is, they are found every month of the year so it should be no problem letting it turn to adult, only if you know this is what it is. I raised one a while ago and it became an adult and I released it. I have even found them when its been snowing before.

[Featherstick]

Thanks Dave
I hope I didn't harm it too much by failing to provide soil. I hope it's the Angle Shades moth - it's beautiful. Fingers crossed that whatever it is, it's still healthy.
Thanks for the ID of the others - I'll know now to place twigs and not soil in their container

[Dave McCormick]

Your welcome.

hope I didn't harm it too much by failing to provide soil

One I had was in a small plastic box with one ragwort leaf and thats it, no soil. It rolled itself in the leaf and pupated. I then moves it into a larger rearing plastic box and after a few days, it hatched, so it should hatch ok if given enough room, just check it everyday or so.

[Mikhail]

The fact that it pupated successfully means that you did not harm it. No need to bury it now. I agree with Dave that it is the Angle Shades moth and it might even emerge during the winter. Just keep it in a cool dry place and keep an eye on it from time to time.

Misha

[Featherstick]

Thanks to you both. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.

[eccles]

Me too. Don't forget to post pics.