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Painted Lady diagram.pdfHere is a diagram of the adult butterfly. Try to identify these body parts while you observe through the videos and pictures. If you get lucky, you will see the front two legs and the undersides of the wings where they separate from the top.
proboscis testing.MOVThis butterfly is warming up its proboscis. Soon it will drink the sugar water acting as nectar. Instead of chewing with jaws, it will use its proboscis like a straw.
Our first butterfly emerged. They emerge very quickly and suddenly. It is tough to catch it in the act. There was a complication, so the wings might turn out a little mutated. There was some silk stuck to the chrysalis which made it difficult for the butterfly to emerge. Luckily, I was around and it didn't happen during the night. I needed to get tweezers to free it and remove the silk. The silk is very strong and difficult to remove.
Our first butterfly emerged. They emerge very quickly and suddenly. It is tough to catch it in the act. There was a complication, so the wings might turn out a little mutated. There was some silk stuck to the chrysalis which made it difficult for the butterfly to emerge. Luckily, I was around and it didn't happen during the night. I needed to get tweezers to free it and remove the silk. The silk is very strong and difficult to remove.
All of their wings are crumpled when they emerge. Then they stay put and will not move for a few hours while they strengthen and pump their wings and align their body. We are hoping this one's wings turn out mostly okay. They do not eat for awhile at first.
All of their wings are crumpled when they emerge. Then they stay put and will not move for a few hours while they strengthen and pump their wings and align their body. We are hoping this one's wings turn out mostly okay. They do not eat for awhile at first.
The empty chrysalis.
The red liquid underneath is normal. The butterfly is not bleeding. It is removing waste from the chrysalis. The red liquid is call meconium.
It is tough to spot the final two legs. They are very small and before the ones you see. They do not come out very often. They are tucked away very close to the extended proboscis.
I placed this one here after the silk was removed. Normally it would stay close to its empty chrysalis.
They like to hang out on the sides of the mesh.
The wings are still a little crumpled.
Look at that beautiful eye. A butterfly's eyesight is good for seeing fast moving objects and ultraviolet light.
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