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Miniature Monarch?

19 years ago

I have a monarch crysalis and it's tiny compared to others I've seen. Will a small monarch come out? Or is this crysalis most likely not viable?

Comments (18)

  • 19 years ago

    If it's a healthy looking green color,then I assume that a healthy monarch will emerge from the chrysalid, although if it's smaller than normal, the adult may be smaller than normal. Did you raise this one yourself? If you just found it somewhere, then it might be a goatweed leafwing chrysalid -
    {{gwi:454079}}

    MissSherry

  • 19 years ago

    Hi Miss Sherry,
    I tried to raise this one myself and before it got as big as the others, it stopped eating and turned into a tiny little chrysalis. It looks perfectly healthy otherwise. How long does it take these to hatch out? I've never tried to raise a monarch before.

  • 19 years ago

    I can't remember for sure, about 2 weeks at most?, I think. I only raise about one batch a year, but many other posters raise a lot more - maybe they'll know the answer. I don't know if the length of time they stay in their chrysalid is longer in cool weather or not - I've only raised them in hot weather, so they've always emerged quickly for me.
    MissSherry

  • 19 years ago

    I had quite a few chrysalids that were smaller than others, and two or three that were really tiny! However, the butterflies emerged just fine, albeit smaller than some of my Monarchs.

    They do pupate for a longer period of time when the weather cools off, and sometimes emerge in the evening or at night, rather than in the a.m. like usual. As for time, it could be 14 days as MissSherry says, rather than 10 days, and it could be even longer. Patience, grasshopper!

    Susan

  • 19 years ago

    Two weeks is about normal for the Monarch to undergo metamorphosis. :) Some do pupate early and yes, the butterfly may be smaller. It may have been because the food source was not as available/prevalent so the larva decided to pupate earlier which will result in a smaller adult. If everything else goes right, then the butterfly should be healthy and the only thing different will be its size. :)

  • 19 years ago

    I've never had it happen to a Monarch, but last year I had a black swallowtail decide to pupate early even though it had plenty of food. He emerged as a perfect little miniature version of his siblings at less than half the size it should have been. So cute!

    Judy
    www.ButterflyNature.com

  • 19 years ago

    Awww, it's going to be so cute if it comes out a miniature. :)

  • 19 years ago

    Over the summer our monarchs averaged 8-9 days in chrysalis. You could pretty much predict within a day when they would eclose. Since the weather has started getting cooler, they are definitely taking longer. I have some now that pupated about 10 days ago and they are still green and are not showing signs of darkening yet. I have had some queens that have pupated at a small size and they have hatched normally, except only smaller. I can't figure out why some pupate at a smaller size than others.

  • 19 years ago

    I have never heard of such a small butterfly.
    Maybe it was around poison when it was little.
    anna@natureday.com

  • 19 years ago

    Judy, one of my overwintering BSTs decided to pupate early and is a small chrysalis. I can't wait to see if he's a Mini next spring!

    Misssherry, is that a Goatweed chrysalis above?

    I would have assumed it was a monarch chrys.

  • 19 years ago

    It's a goatweed leafwing chrysalid, Mary Ann. I was amazed when I saw one for the first time to see that they looked like smaller versions of monarch chrysalids - I thought that only the milkweed cats/butterflies made a chrysalid like that.
    MissSherry

  • 19 years ago

    It makes you wonder why some are smaller and why some pupate early. I've just been reading a book about our over-exposure to chemicals and all the ill-effects it has on us. I'm sure it does the same to them. :(

    Interesting about the Goatweed chrysalis. If you didn't notice the fine details you'd never know.

  • 19 years ago

    I have had a few very small chrysalises in the garden on occaision and they have hatched into miniature monarchs. I have always wondered if these tinier versions are all complete and capable of reproduction and everything a normal monarch would be. As for temperature, it does have a great effect on hatch time of eggs and pupae, and growth rate of larva. In south florida when summertime temps are in the 90's and close to 80 at night, I have had pupae hatch in as little as 5-6 days. Especially the ones glued under the windowsills or eaves of the house where they also get the radiant heat from the concrete block walls. Dave

  • 19 years ago

    I was at a butterfly meeting and someone had a picture of a miniature Luna moth. It was less than half the size of a normal Luna. It was really beautiful.

  • 19 years ago

    It is amazing that the GWLW is such a small chrysalis, because the one I saw in the garden today was a big mamma jamma. This time of year it's so hard to spot them because they blend in with the fallen leaves, and even on the wing, unless you spot the orange upperside, they look like leaves falling from the trees.

    Susan

  • 19 years ago

    My monarch has been in its chrysalid for more that two weeks the weather has been lately in the 50s and 60s but every now and then it raises into the 80s will it come out it hasnt showed any signs of darkening

  • 10 years ago

    I have one that hatched today and it was fine just slightly miniature.

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