Linda! I agree with what Cheryl said. Living in Florida, I don't have to worry quite so much about my overwintering chrysalises. I keep mine indoors, but they still seem to know not to come out until spring.
Oh, that reminds me. I didn't think Black Swallowtail cats ate celery. Do you have parsley, fennel, or dill nearby? I was just wondering if it was still eating or not. It looks big enough to pupate, and my guess from looking at it is that it entered its "wandering phase" and picked your celery as a good place to settle in. Let us know if it starts to make a silk sling around it because that definitely means it's pupating. I put my cats and chrysalises in Gladware containers or Critter Keepers. Just make sure you can see through it and that it will be big enough for the wings to expand. But I definitely agree with Cheryl about keeping it somewhere where it will experience the actual (or close to) temperatures like a garage, or protected outside space. Just make sure you place it somewhere you'll see it!
Also, feel free to jump in or follow the monthly butterfly thread. That's where most of us hang out and discuss all things butterfly, caterpillar, and moth. We're almost done with this month's thread; I'll be making one for October soon. But for now, we're hanging out here:
The thread "September 2016 Butterflies, Moths & Larva" in
Gardening for Butterflies, Birds and Bees forum
