parasitized Monarch pupa/chrysalis - Danaus plexippus

Moved

Moved from Butterflies (excluding skippers).

… Jon Rapp, 22 January, 2012 - 11:15am

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… john and jane balaban, 21 January, 2012 - 12:01pm

It makes us think of the Monarch

but it doesn't look very healthy??

… john and jane balaban, 18 January, 2012 - 12:49pm

Thanks!

Wow - so the very different coloration could be because it's not doing so good? I've a lot to learn.

… Jon Rapp, 18 January, 2012 - 4:28pm

ooh, better yet!

pry open the chrysalis and take a picture of the larvae
it shouldn't hurt it, just don't crush the chrysalis in the process

… aphid, 18 January, 2012 - 5:49pm

I had one just like it, fall of last year.

It is a Monarch (Danaus plexippus) chrysalis that is parasitized.
You should expect some type of flying insect to emerge.

I had a Monarch caterpillar (last fall) J-hook to a pot of a potted plant I brought inside. I forgot about it until I found a small wasp/bee/fly sort of creature flying around. The cats killed it eventually, but it was relatively small, but large enough to get noticed. It left a hole about 5/64 of inch in the chrysalis.

… aphid, 18 January, 2012 - 5:47pm

I've had them get like that f

I've had them get like that from disease too.

… Emily Tenczar, 18 January, 2012 - 7:05pm

What a surprise

like Forest Gump - don't know what you got til you bite into it! Thanks all for the comments and information.

… Jon Rapp, 19 January, 2012 - 10:37am