After wasps murdered the Black Swallowtial caterpillars that were munching on dill plants in our garden, it was time to take action to rescue the Monarch caterpillars that were dining on our milkweed plants. These caterpillars should be well along in their development as we still have very small caterpillars (the diameter of hair) on the milkweed plants in the garden. Updates will be added as the caterpillars progress, hopefully, into butterflyhood.
Mason jar filled with water and covered with plastic to prevent unplanned swims. Add milkweed.
We put the jar in a waste basket along with a few damp paper towels to add humidity. A piece of screen covers the top.
One of three resident caterpillars munching on milkweed in their new home
One days worth of caterpillar poop
They stripped this milkweed in one day
The caterpillars should have fresh milkweed every day
Two days after the above pictures were taken, the two caterpillars attached themselves to the screen that covered their enclosure and hung in a "J" shape. Over a period of a few hours they transformed into the pupa stage (chrysalis).
Chrysalis attached to the screen
It should take a couple more weeks to complete the transformation to butterflies.
Here's the chrysalis 10 days after the previous picture. It looks almost black and the developing butterfly can be seen inside
A couple hours later, its a butterfly. It'll hang for a couple hours until the wings are ready for flying.
The new monarch got an assist getting out of his enclosure. It's a boy!
The monarch butterfly hanging unto a butterfly bush doing his preflight checklist.
The second monarch to emerge. Both monarch's first flights were high into a hackberry tree.
The first and second monarchs have left... and they lived happily ever after.
