July 20th - Today my little Monarch eclosed (emerged) from her chrysalis. Yesterday she gradually became darker and more visible through the shell and so I could tell that she would be coming out today. Altogether, I had her for about 3 weeks (June 28th -July 20th)
The weather here today is very rainy, so I wasn't going to let her go today. However, there was a break in the weather and she was getting restless, so I did release her. It is raining again now, so I hope she has found some adequate shelter.
About 5 to 10 minutes after I released her, I saw a monarch flying around the honeyvine milkweed. It seems she may have come back for a few minutes.
Here are some photos I took over the last couple of days:
The chrysalis changing (the 1st photo is from the day after the caterpillar became a chrysalis, 2nd photo is from yesterday and the 3rd photo is from this morning)
Monarch butterfly eclosing
She's out!
Wings all unfurled.
And so there it is, the 1st Monarch butterfly I raised from a 1st instar caterpillar to a butterfly.
I've been out collecting more eggs and caterpillars. Right now I have 18. (including 6 eggs still to hatch)
The weather here today is very rainy, so I wasn't going to let her go today. However, there was a break in the weather and she was getting restless, so I did release her. It is raining again now, so I hope she has found some adequate shelter.
About 5 to 10 minutes after I released her, I saw a monarch flying around the honeyvine milkweed. It seems she may have come back for a few minutes.
Here are some photos I took over the last couple of days:
The chrysalis changing (the 1st photo is from the day after the caterpillar became a chrysalis, 2nd photo is from yesterday and the 3rd photo is from this morning)
Monarch butterfly eclosing
She's out!
Wings all unfurled.
And so there it is, the 1st Monarch butterfly I raised from a 1st instar caterpillar to a butterfly.
I've been out collecting more eggs and caterpillars. Right now I have 18. (including 6 eggs still to hatch)