I agree with you. Once they can flutter in the enclosure, it's time for them to go. I only hold the release if it is raining.

But once again, there was another Giant Swallowtail ready to go this morning at 9 am. The Gulf Frit in the next enclosure had just emerged and was beginning to dry. It's just not what I expected. I thought maybe Monarchs being ready later than Gulf Frits might be related to size. Bigger takes longer than smaller. But nothing is as big as a Giant and it's ready to go while all the others are just getting out of bed! :)

Anna

I know, it doesn't make any sense!

Sherry

Well this really won't make sense. This Giant eclosed at 2 pm today!!!????

Now it has been dark and rainy here for the last 2 days, and cooler, I don't know if that has an effect. They are predicting a dry window in the weather around 7 pm. Hopefully, she will be ready to go by then.

Anna

I've kept newly emerged butterflies in the cage for a little over 24 hours, and when they flew off, they did so in fine condition. Of course, this one is a giant swallowtail - hopefully, the darkness, lack of sunshine, will keep this one from wanting to leave the cage, will keep it 'hanging around'. All butterflies react strongly to sunshine.

I've never been able to tell female giant swallowtails from males. Different sites give different ways to sex them, but I've seen one with a thick middle bar, supposedly a male, lay eggs. I feel sure the one in your picture is indeed a female, though, because her abdomen is so large - 'must be eggs in there!

Sherry

I don't know how you tell which sex they are either. I just like to use the female pronoun. :)

I thought the mystery Giant that was skipping my lime tree and visiting the neighbor's lemon tree was a male based on the width of the horizontal yellow bar on the dorsal side. Well, that "male" laid eggs all over that lemon tree. :)

Anna