Chrysalis Color

Black Swallowtail chrysalises can be two basic colors; green or brown. They can be various shades of green and brown but they are either green or brown. From pale beige to nearly black, from pale green to yellow green, to green green, to aqua green, their green shades vary.

The color of the chrysalis depends upon the enviroment where it pupates. If the surroundings have shades of green, it normally pupates green. If the surroundings have shades of brown, it normally pupates brown.

In various conditions from full light to full dark, we've set up experiments to see what color of chrysalises they will become. Although we are still conducting experiments, it so far it hasn't mattered if it has J'd and pupated in total darkness or in bright light. This surprised me; I thought that if it J'd and pupated in total darkness, it would be dark brown. (Click on these photos to see a larger version of the photo.)

But no matter what color the chrysalis is, this butterfly that emerges is the same species; Eastern Black Swallowtail. The inside of the chrysalis is not changed according to the color of the chrysalis. The butterfly inside is an Eastern Black Swallowtail.

I am reminded what Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth, "and to the Jews I became as a Jew .... to the weak I became weak ... I am become all things to all men". Paul knew he was free from the Old Testament law. But he obeyed these Old Testament laws when he believed it would help others. He became 'weak' to the 'weak'. He became all things to all people; but he stayed Paul, God's son. After Paul became a Christian (Read Acts 9 for the story of Paul's meeting with Jesus) no matter what he did or said, he remained a Christian.

The reason he did or didn't do these things was to win others to Jesus. He didn't count himself as important; God was all important. He didn't live to please himself, he lived to please God.

We are instructed not to offend others, however. At times we know that no matter what we do, we will offend someone. We have to make the choice of what to do, knowing that we will offend someone. It's a hard decision - knowing that our actions will offend someone. We have to stay true to what we believe is God's plan for us.

Like Paul, as long as I keep my love for God pure and my relationship with Jesus alive, I can do or not do many things without changing my true identity; a Christian.

I can eat vegatarian, eat meat, or eat carbos; I can raise butterflies, raise moths, or raise nothing. But whatever I do, the one thing that I will not let change is my very basic identity; a child of God.



1 Cor. 9:19-23

19 For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.

20 And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

21 to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law.

22 To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.

23 And I do all things for the gospel's sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof.