I've never before been able to spot a chrysalis out in the "wilds", but I have found two this year! Both have been on the milkweed in the raised beds, but I'm suspicious there was one in the B Garden as well as I found a newly hatched butterfly out there one morning a week or so ago.
This chrysalis was on a rapidly browning leaf and as I watched the leaves around it drop to the ground I decided to pluck this one and put it somewhere safe until it was ready to hatch. They have to hatch in the air so they can dry their wings as they expand. Opening on the ground it would not have survived.
My original plan was to move it back to the raised bed just before it opened, but as I carried it out there I saw a bunch of birds and decided to keep it on the Wool House porch, about 40' from where it was laid. That worked out okay for the butterfly as no predators grabbed it and good for me because I was able to watch and take a time lapse video.
Welcome to the world, little girl. You can tell it's a girl by the thicker black lines and the lack of two black dots on her lower wings.
I have picked up the other chrysalis and attached it the the drying rack on the porch as well. The old milkweed is fading fast. Next year I'm going to "mow" it after it blooms so it sends up new growth before the late summer butterflies arrive.
5 comments:
What a neat video of her emergence!
What a wonderful experience. Great video! Enjoy the rest of your week.
Fun stuff!!
Do you record your monarchs on Journey North? https://journeynorth.org/sightings/ They track the migrations of several species in North America based on reports from ordinary people entering their sightings. :)
I always have the best intentions regarding reporting, but I've never managed to do that in the fall for some reason. Remind me next year!
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