Looks like a Monarch chrysalis. Is the plant a Milkweed?

Um, Didn't look like a milkweed to me. She had shortened the names of the plants to like VA FN and the like, so I am waiting for her to send me a typed list. Should I try to get a better image for you of it?

~Tina Marie

"Wow" is right. That is either a monarch or a queen chrysalis. And the plant does not need to be milkweed. Most monarch experts can count on one hand the number of times they found a monarch chrysalis on milkweed. Monarch cats almost always leave the milkweed plant and make their chrysalis elsewhere.

KC

It was a wanderer, the shipper accidentally lost track when she packed my plants. I've got it outside on my deck in the aquarium. Will it be alright? The leaf came off the plant. So I have the leaf wedged into the lid, to keep the chrysalis at an angle so it's hanging. That way the butterfly coming out will hang properly. I want to get a better image of it, but I am worried about handling the chrysalis.

~Tina Marie

It does not have to hang from anything. If you have it laying flat, you just need to make sure it can grip something to pull itself out of the chrysalis and that it can crawl up something where it can dry its wings.

I'd keep it inside where you can keep it eye on it because I'd want to know whether it was a monarch or a queen. Then again, if you shipper is in the north, it will be a monarch.

Congratulations! Your a monarch momma, maybe.

Don't worry the chrysalis is a lot tougher than you think. Once it has hardened (after the first several hours to 24 hrs)they withstand a lot. I just wouldn't put it in your pocket or something. Sorry, I have been out in the heat counting butterflies. Anyway, you can handle it to take pictures. And as KC says, just make sure there is something for it to crawl up and it will be fine. The only thing about that is to make sure it has plenty of room. I have seen newly emerged leps damage their wings if they cant safely get around a series of branches.

Good luck,
Elisabeth

Thanks Elisabeth!

I have potted the other Anise Hyssop plant that came in the box that was sent. The leaf that came off the other one that the chrysalis is stuck to, I wedged it into a branch so the chrysalis is hanging properly. So the monarch should have room and can hang properly and not damage it's wings.

The aquarium is a 10 gal. tank, with a screen lid, I placed in a spot on the lower portion of our deck. It's got a box with stuff in it on a portion of the lid so the lid can't be lifted by any random roaming critters, or blown off by our South Dakota breezes. *g* The tank is in shade all day, so the chrysalis won't bake. :) I am very thankful my middle boy wanted to be an entomologist when he was growing up! I learned so much from him! Hehe! He'll be 18 in feb. I'll post a pic of the chrysalis shortly. I got a better close up to share.

~Tina Marie