Pipevine swallowtail pupae

Pipevine

A large pipevine (Aristolochia macrophylla) rambles up to the roof on a trellis outside my study window in the Piedmont.

Some years, it's a great host for pipevine swallowtail caterpillars; in other years, we don't see any.  This has been a good year for early sighting of butterflies and caterpillars, maybe because of unseasonably warm temperatures early in spring.

Pipevine Swallowtail caterpillar

Chrysalis

I noticed chrysalides (=chrysalises) in numerous places on the top of the porch arches and along the base of the gutters. They'll probably emerge this summer (I saw some empty ones).

I hadn't noticed so many in previous years.

Chrysalises and (probably 4th) instar