Every summer, we watch our Milkweed plants for baby monarch caterpillars. Sometimes we find them smaller than this!!
And over the next 7-10 days they munch and munch and munch until they get to be this big!
And then they make a silk like thread and attach their bottoms to it. They hang upside down in a "J" shape until they make the most beautiful green chrysalis. This was right after he made his chrysalis so you can't really see yet, but they have gold dots on them too. Looks like 24 karat gold! So beautiful!
And today he emerged! Yes, I said he. How do I know? See the 2 dots on the lower wings? Only male monarchs have those! Females do not have the dots! Once he was ready to fly, we released him into the wild! It's so awesome watching one of God's Creations fly off.
Thanks for visiting and have a fantastic Saturday!!
5 comments:
Wow! He is beautiful. I hope you have more all summer long. TFS!
I have never seen a chrysalis before! It's beautiful, thanks for sharing that!
Sue,
I have also done this every year with my 4 kids for several years now. My youngest has found caterpillers the size of a pencil lead tip - he has good eyes and loves hunting for them! I'm not sure where in the U.S. you live, but where I live in Canada (near Niagara Falls) our monarchs aren't usually emerging and heading south until late August or early September. We've actually watched them as they turned into a chrysalis, and also as they were emerging from the chrysalis. It's interesting how it is usually the same time of day. God did give us one of the most amazing things to watch!
Thanks for sharing!
Wow, I am amazed. What a wonderful Mommy you were to this beautiful butterfly. I'll bet your kids were so excited to watch this whole process.
Butterflies are a miracle of nature. Thank so much for sharing. I am not sure that would work in central TEXAS too, too hot!! But I am going to check it out for my grandchildren. They would love it!!
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