Interesting--looks almost like some kind of sulphur chrysalis.

Thanks for your input! I know we have sulphurs around here though I'm not sure what their chrysalises look like...what I did find was this page of google images of what I think are mostly black swallowtails and the shape of the chrysalis seemed similar to this plus you can kind of make out the "band" which secures it to the stiltgrass...this seems to be a distinctive characteristic?

It could be a Zebra Swallowtail chrysalis. I've only seen pictures of those though.

Alex, you win the prize! I've never seen one either BUT we get lots of zebras because half the forest out here is paw paw! Hope it survives! Thanks to both of you!

Oh! Lucky you--a Zebra ST--are you going to bring it in to ensure it makes it to adulthood? And that way you get to see the beauty too.

bernergrrl, I was just googling that very topic and I have decided not to bring it in. I will not be around here all winter...gone for 2 months....and I don't feel comfortable w/the need for cold temps and humidity. So I was thinking of finding out where most Zebras are likely to hang their chrysalises and I thought I could maybe place a small tulle bag over it and take it off end of March/April when the first zebras appear around here. Would that work?

Oh, right--forget we're at that time of the year. That question would be best answered by someone who has experience overwintering ZSTs. Maybe ask it in a separate post here about it and title it "How to overwinter Zebra ST chrysalis" and see if you get any responses. I've only overwintered Black Swallowtails, Duskywings, and moths (by happy accident).

The idea is that you provide similar conditions as it would experience outside but keep it protected so it doesn't fall to predation or getting killed in some other way. The tulle bag sounds good as long as you can keep an eye on it--and take the bag off or put into a cage or some type of enclosure to ensure its safety and ability to eclose properly/inflate/harden its wings.

I also don't know if in this species the chrysalis changes before eclosure too--another question to ask someone experienced with ZST.

I really wish I had the good fortune to raise them--but will keep my hopes up as I have Paw Paw trees now--but doubt they exist in any number here around the Chicago area.

Keep us posted about what you do and what you find--will help someone else out some day.