What the HECK is this?

[LaraMN]

A cocoon? It was hanging off a roma tomato in my garden. The top is pearlescent green, there's a metallic ring around it, and it has shimmery gold flecks. It's wicked.

[EstimatedProphet]

1. It's a member of the Future Butterflies Club

A chrysalis.

[greatauntoftriplets]

3. Where did the metal ring come from????

:shrug:

[LaraMN]

7. That's what I was wondering!

It's weird!

[greatauntoftriplets]

12. That is totally bizarre....

And I was thinking it was a metal ring before I responded and saw you mention that.

Could someone be playing a practical joke on you? It's not me! I am safely in suburban Chicago.

[Dangerously Amused]

34. It's an Abstinence Ring, duh!

She pledged her pupa to her Daddy Longlegs.

[EstimatedProphet]

13. It's a high-maintenance butterfly

[Debi]

15. LaraMN's swimsuit top?

Hope it doesn't get a rash! :rofl:

[greatauntoftriplets]

22. The ring on her swimsuit was much bigger!!!

:rofl:

[Debi]

29. I thought her breasts were much bigger!

:P

[greatauntoftriplets]

35. I have no idea...

I am more interested in my male sweetie.

[Debi]

37. DS1 photo-shopped them

it's here somewhere on the internets...:yoiks:

[greatauntoftriplets]

4. How the hell did I double post???

:wtf:

[idgiehkt]

9. yeah, that's what it looks like to me too

it will soon be a butterfly, or 'something wing-ed this way comes'.

I wonder where the lounge entymologists are, I know there are at least a few in here.

[bicentennial_baby]

2. That looks like a Hornworm to me...

:scared:

http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/4dmg/Pests/tomato.htm

[LaraMN]

8. Ew!

I hope not!

[bicentennial_baby]

11. I'm just going off of experience...

Pick off the cocoons NOW! Drown them in cheap beer. Now!

[LaraMN]

14. You're scaring me!

I'm gonna cries!

:cry:

[bicentennial_baby]

17. It's easy love...

Tomorrow, get some rubber gloves, remove cocoons, dump in cheap beer. Repeat as needed. All that you don't want is for them to hatch. It's much grosser then. Hornworms are common to the Nightshade family (Tobacco, Tomato, Eggplant, etc.). Experienced gardener here. After one bout, I never had them again. :)

:hug:

[Debi]

16. You just want Lara to buy the beer this week

:eyes:

[bicentennial_baby]

19. No, I've encountered the Hornworm head-on...and

I don't want her to have to go through that. :scared:

[Debi]

31. Oh, icky huh?

I just knocked down a wasp's nest and had to sweep larva off my deck :scared: I'm pretty weirded out right now! :puke:

[EstimatedProphet]

18. Gotta disagree

Hornworms pupate in the ground, not attached to plants. I'd still say it's a butterfly chrysalis, but I'm not sure what kind.

[bicentennial_baby]

20. Ok, fair enough...But,

I've never seen anything that similar to a hornworm on a tomato plant. :shrug:

Better safe than sorry, no? :)

[EstimatedProphet]

23. I ID'ed it, it's an OK one

Monarch butterfly. The tomatoes should be safe. True, you never know when hornworms will show up, and when they do, it's trouble. This one will be OK though.

[LaraMN]

27. It's a monarch!

I had a ton of monarch 'pillars on some of my other plants.
That makes sense.

[bicentennial_baby]

32. Excellent....thank you!

:thumbsup:

[stuntcat]

5. wyckid

swEEet, that's beautiful I think.

[bluethruandthru]

6. Something from Invasion of the Body Snatchers!

...RUN!

[lost-in-nj]

10. wow

thats beautiful
you'll have to let us know what it is!!!



lost

[EstimatedProphet]

21. FOUND IT!

Very first try! It's a Monarch Butterfly pupa:



Danaus plexippus

[ThomCat]

24. Cool!

So, do they excrete something irridescent that makes some parts look metalic? :shrug:

Yay, Monarch Butterflies are awesome!

[EstimatedProphet]

26. That I don't know

Probably just the way the light hits it...

[LaraMN]

28. Yup! That's it!

Cool!

[achtung_circus]

25. IT IS A MONARCH CHRYSALIS and athing of beauty.

http://www.cirrusimage.com/butterfly_monarch.htm

Kill it not.

[EstimatedProphet]

30. And, there's a blister beetle right next to it! Cool!

[electron_blue]

33. monarch chrysalis! Keep an eye on it so you can see it come out.

Aren't they beautiful? I love the gold tipped rim.

[GenDem]

36. When it turns a dark color the butterfly will emerge

Awesome to watch!