Confessions of a Lepidoterist

It's been about a week since I first got my largest batch of babies just yet and already some of them have begun to go into the next stage of their life-cycles.

Sad to say, not all of them made it... I'm not sure what's up with this chrysalid (it's still alive as it wriggles around occasionally) but I have never in my life seen the tarry black substance its excreting near the top... will the butterfly be okay, you think, or might it be a strain of a virus and should I remove it entirely? Suggestions, opinions... information, all would be welcome.

Mutant Chrysalid.

So far they seem to be mostly chrysalids of the Lime Swallowtail but I'm hoping there will be some Common Mormons and Great Mormons in the mix as well. Oh well, only time will tell!

And we were buried, deep beneath the ground... and eventually they forgot us.