(*edited to add some extra photos my son-in-law sent me)
Yesterday we went to Windsor to visit our daughter. She has a regular 'butterfly factory' happening. She learned that only one in ten monarch caterpillars actually survives to become a butterfly, so she decided to help them along, so with our two youngest grandchildren, she goes out and looks for any caterpillars, or eggs on the milkweed, takes them home and puts them in clear containers in her kitchen. Every day she cleans out the bottoms of the containers and goes with her kids to gather fresh milkweed leaves. Once the caterpillars morph into cocoons, she carefully removes them from the lids of their containers, and tapes the silk at the top, onto the bottom of her spice shelf....where they hang for ten to 14 days before the butterfly inside is ready to emerge. Just before it does, the cocoon becomes dark, then completely transparent....
Yesterday we went to Windsor to visit our daughter. She has a regular 'butterfly factory' happening. She learned that only one in ten monarch caterpillars actually survives to become a butterfly, so she decided to help them along, so with our two youngest grandchildren, she goes out and looks for any caterpillars, or eggs on the milkweed, takes them home and puts them in clear containers in her kitchen. Every day she cleans out the bottoms of the containers and goes with her kids to gather fresh milkweed leaves. Once the caterpillars morph into cocoons, she carefully removes them from the lids of their containers, and tapes the silk at the top, onto the bottom of her spice shelf....where they hang for ten to 14 days before the butterfly inside is ready to emerge. Just before it does, the cocoon becomes dark, then completely transparent....
My daughter had placed a paper towel underneath, because she says they take a huge s**t right after they emerge, and it's a big, red, disgusting mess.
Checking on the progress. (photo by James)
Even though we knew the butterfly could emerge at any moment, and we were all right there in the kitchen, the butterfly popped out unnoticed. James took a photo of it ....
Photo by James
It hung there, pumping fluid into it's wings to fully expand them, and for the next two hours would stay there waiting for its wings to dry, so we went out to gather more milkweed leaves.
How did all that come out of such a small cocoon? (photo by James)
When we came back it was time to take the Monarch outside and set her free. (my daughter had determined that due to it's markings, this one was a female)
My new camera lens has Macro capabilities, so after the butterfly was released onto a butterfly-friendly flower, I sat down to take some close-ups....
We watched as it took a drink of some nectar, and flew off.
Before we left to go home, another two cocoons had started to turn dark, meaning the butterflies inside would be emerging the next day.
It was really interesting to see all the different stages of the Monarch life cycle. There were leaves with eggs, super tiny striped caterpillars no more than 1/4" long, bigger caterpillars, and finally, a long row of cocoons taped to the bottom of the spice shelf. Over forty individuals in all. Quite the exceptional learning experience for some very curious children (and adults)
Before we left to go home, another two cocoons had started to turn dark, meaning the butterflies inside would be emerging the next day.
It was really interesting to see all the different stages of the Monarch life cycle. There were leaves with eggs, super tiny striped caterpillars no more than 1/4" long, bigger caterpillars, and finally, a long row of cocoons taped to the bottom of the spice shelf. Over forty individuals in all. Quite the exceptional learning experience for some very curious children (and adults)
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