How to keep Wild Indigo Duskywings over the winter?

12 years ago

This summer went so fast and I didn't even realize how late it is, but now that I have some Wild Indigo Duskywing cats eating some Baptisia australis that I took cuttings of, it just dawned on me that these will overwinter as cats. I had brought some in a few years ago around this time of the year and read online that they overwinter as cats when it's late in the year like this. Maybe they're better off if I put them back outside because all of the ones that I kept over in our other building (storage shed) over the winter ended up dying. I don't know what the secret is to having them make it over the winter, but I'm considering putting these back outside unless I find out what I should do. I think they'd stand a better chance out there if the past is just going to repeat itself.

Cathy

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Comments (3)

MissSherry
12 years ago
I've never raised any wild indigo duskywings, Cathy, but I agree that caterpillars would probably overwinter better outside.
I had some gulf frits that overwintered one year, and I left them outside on the vines. They did fine and resumed eating once the passionvines had started making new growth again in spring.
I've been reading through a lot of my books, and I can't find any information as to how WID cats spend their winter. Maybe they stay on the outside of the plant or curl up in a leaf or maybe even go underground? I don't know, but I'd leave them outside.
Sherry
MissSherry
12 years ago
I Googled WIDs, and this web site says they overwinter in a pile of leaves, so I'd leave them a big pile of leaves in a safe spot under the host plant.
Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: Wild Indigo Duskywings
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caterwallin
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks, Sherry. I was leaning towards doing that, and now since you said that, it's convinced me to put them back outside because I just don't know exactly what a person would have to do during the winter to keep them alive. I think I'll keep them in the container they're in on our back porch just a little while yet, like maybe a week, and then put them out under an indigo plant before it freezes. That way if they have to hide under some leaves they don't have to hustle at the last minute since we shouldn't get a frost for at least 2 weeks ago (hopefully even longer because I hate the thought of winter coming). I've actually been working in the indigo section of the garden lately mixing sand and peat moss into the ground (our ground has lots of clay), laying down newspapers, and then putting leaves on top. So the duskywings will already have their beds waiting on them. :) I figure that probably not too many people try to raise duskywings, going for the prettier types of butterflies instead, so I look at them as a kind of underdog and like to help them. My problem is that I like to help too many kinds of butterflies and then wonder what happened to the spring and summer. It starts out being lots of fun but towards the end, I'm there rooting them on to get on with it and pupate. lol
Cathy