Sandy, I've never been able to overwinter gulf frits as chrysalids - they always turn black and die regardless of whether I keep them in the house or on the porch. Of course, when I keep them in the house, it's always in an unheated room, because I don't see the point in having a butterfly emerge at a time of year when it can't survive. Interestingly, several years ago when we were having a warmer than normal winter - I think we had Zone10a temps - three gulf frit CATS overwintered! There were some leaves still on my p. caerulea, but the cats pretty much ignored them until they started making new growth, when they started eating again, pupated, and emerged in early spring! Toni, we're just on the very fringes of the drought area, lower than normal rainfall this year, but nothing serious. I've been seeing and hearing about the water crisis in the Atlanta area - terrible! I wish I could send you some of this rain! You can move chrysalids by scratching around them until you detach the silk - then you can lift them off without damaging them. I've never known anybody with a basement, so I can't recommend or "un-recommend" keeping them there. I've read or heard that they tend to leak, with water seeping everywhere, so I assume the humidity is always high in a basement. You'd think chrysalids might dessicate under those conditions? I don't know. I think it's important to keep them somewhere dark and cool or maybe even cold - I think light is just as important, maybe more important, than temperature in determining when they emerge. Once winter has set in, I keep mine in my unheated guest room with the door closed and the blinds drawn - once my cats have all pupated, I'll move them there. I love listening to the sound of water trickling, Edna, so I enjoy being in the bottom of the hollow when the stream flows. It's only 52 degrees now, and it's 10:35 a.m. - I don't think it'll even make it to 60 today! MissSherry

Snow in Texas is much more rare than snow in Canada, but I wish I could post a photo of the snow that we've gotten up here. Several days of constant snow and blowing winds, the snow itself in unshoveled areas like the garden, and back of the house, is up past your waist. And that's not saying anything about the drifts created by plows and people shoveling. You can't see around street corners when driving. Parking lots are halved in size by the snow piles. It is unbelievable. We've had record snowfall amounts up here for the past 2 months and it makes you wonder what it going on this year!

Dave, quit it. I almost forgot that I need a Cupressus glabra =^b

I agree with you - I love, love, love the color of Sweet Revenge. They all look soooo good!!! Carol