March 15, 2026
Nature Done Wright
Incorporating the Celery Farm and Screech Owl Companion blogs
Chrysalis Advice Needed!
Betsy Thomas found this chrysalis on a tomato plant this week.
Looks like a Monarch but on a tomato? Ever heard of this?
Any advice on helping/protecting it? Thanks.
3 comments
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Carol Flanagan it’s called a cremaster. The cremaster is like Velcro. If you wet the silk, and pull gently with your nails around the white(silk) it will come off with a bunch of that silk. You can either rehang with some dental floss, and let it eclose. They can also eclose lying on the bottom of a mesh enclosure, they will automatically climb to the side to hang. I either do that, or I just put a pin through the outside of my enclosure, while holding the silk against the inside of my enclosure, and push the pin through. The silk is strong stuff. They
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Yes, a Monarch!!
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They will put the chrysalis anywhere! Usually at a higher spot from where they have been feeding. She should try to put it where the chrysalis can hang with space around it.






3 comments
Laura
Carol Flanagan it’s called a cremaster. The cremaster is like Velcro. If you wet the silk, and pull gently with your nails around the white(silk) it will come off with a bunch of that silk. You can either rehang with some dental floss, and let it eclose. They can also eclose lying on the bottom of a mesh enclosure, they will automatically climb to the side to hang. I either do that, or I just put a pin through the outside of my enclosure, while holding the silk against the inside of my enclosure, and push the pin through. The silk is strong stuff. They
DeedeeBurnside
Yes, a Monarch!!
DeedeeBurnside
They will put the chrysalis anywhere! Usually at a higher spot from where they have been feeding. She should try to put it where the chrysalis can hang with space around it.