I was out looking at all of my caterpillars and I spotted this beautiful little jewel hanging on one of my coneflowers...I haven't been able to pull weeds or old flowers in that bed because I didn't want to throw any chrysalis away. The other week I did find an empty chrysalis (white) but the one I found today seemed to just shine ...it looked like it had a 14 K. gold ring around it. I hope to be able to watch this and take photos, weather permitting and of course if the mosquitoes let me near them. Monarch Chrysalis ( photo / image / picture from Sherry8's Garden ) Monarch Chrysalis ( photo / image / picture from Sherry8's Garden )
Empty chrysalis... ( photo / image / picture from Sherry8's Garden ) Monarch caterpillar ( photo / image / picture from Sherry8's Garden ) Monarch caterpillar ( photo / image / picture from Sherry8's Garden ) Swampweed full of Monarch caterpillars ( photo / image / picture from Sherry8's Garden ) Monarch caterpillar ( photo / image / picture from Sherry8's Garden ) Monarch caterpillar ( photo / image / picture from Sherry8's Garden )
It is really fascinating to watch the Monarch butterfly lay eggs on my plants and to see such tiny caterpillars turn into large caterpillars , loosing their outside skin as they outgrow it. Then to see the chrysalis.... I hope our weather holds out for them so they can all make it to Mexico after they turn into butterflys.
More neat pics from the life cycle of the Monarch, Sherry. I enjoyed this series very much. I'll bet you would like to make that trip with the Monarchs to Mexico, wouldn't you?
Sjoerd...yes, I would love to follow them on their journey and to see that many in Mexico would make me so happy...I have seen pictures of so many of them flying around....I wouldn't want to leave them. I did see a picture of so many of them dead on the ground when Mexico got cold weather...it brought tears to my eyes.
