Yesterday I posted about raising caterpillars for the summer, and shortly after the first one hatched.
This is the first caterpillar that cocooned and shortly after....
I could see his chrysalis was darkening. When you can see the butterfly's wings through the casing, it will usually crack open that day.
Sure enough, he was right on schedule and in this photo, you can see how plump he is after just emerging.
The Monarch will hang here most of the day until the wings expand. The wings are already filling out within a few minutes.
It never ceases to amaze me at the whole transformation that the caterpillars go through, then to cocoon and become such a beautiful butterfly. Here the wings have totally expanded, and he will stay here most of the day until his wings are strong enough to fly.
Once the butterfly starts to open up its wings and flapping them, it isn't long before they take that first flight. I sat on the porch waiting for the moment, and then he was off to have his grand adventure. He landed first on the patio tomato, then into the lilac tree where he stayed for a while. Shortly afterwards I saw him flying about the butterfly garden scoping out the flowers.
I took this photo of him before he flew off. How cute is he? It will be a few days before some of the other chrysalis hatch, and I will keep you all updated on them too.
