6.19.12

I'm pretty sure that I will NEVER tire of watching a Monarch butterfly emerge!

{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{NURSERY GUESTS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
1 Total

{CHRYSALIS}
26

{MONARCH's}
2 today ... 24 total

1 female & 1 male

6.18.12

This is what wild Milkweed blooms look like!  They are a gorgeous mauvy-pink and the scent is amazing!


{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{NURSERY GUESTS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
1 Total

{CHRYSALIS}
28

{MONARCH's}
0 today ... 22 total


***Sadly, I had to twilight a chrysalis today- one of the late instar caterpillars that I found must have been riddled with disease.  The chrysalis fully formed, but then became yellowed and spotty after 24 hours.  

6.17.12

I LOVE the sweet moments of release, and setting Monarchs free with my son!


{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{NURSERY GUESTS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
1

{CHRYSALIS}
28 + 1 new chrysalis!

{MONARCH's}
6 ... 22 total!


***3 female and 3 male Monarchs took flight today!

6.16.12

A few of the caterpillars that I have been raising, decided to make their chrysalids on the side of the glass aquarium that I have been raising them... creating flat spots on the chrysalids.  Sadly, this has created a few wing problems in some, but not all of the Monarchs that have flattened chrysalids. This Monarch, named Rainbow-Dash by my son, does have some wing damage on the tip of her upper right wing, but thankfully, it didn't slow her down --- she flew away just like the rest of our Monarchs today! 
{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{NURSERY GUESTS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
2

{CHRYSALIS}
33

{MONARCH's}
16

***We had 10 Monarchs emerge today, 7 female and 3 male!

6.15.12

It takes several hours before the wings of a Monarch are ready for it to fly!  The wings first must be filled with fluid, and then the need to dry and harden before the butterfly is ready to take off.  We keep them indoors to watch them for as long as possible before we release them!


{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{NURSERY GUESTS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
2 --- found two while hunting for eggs

{CHRYSALIS}
43

{MONARCH's}
6

***2 Male Monarchs emerged today!

6.14.12

We shared the experience of emerging chrysalids with two of my favorite kids! Bella & Zach watched as two ladies made their appearance!

Meet Maggie & Cass!

When we arrived home, we found our first male Monarch,  happily named by Bo, after one of his Daddy's friends, Mr. Mat!

{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{NURSERY GUESTS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
0 Total

{CHRYSALIS}
45

{MONARCH's}
4

6.13.12

From the see through chrysalis...

To the hanging to dry the wings stage...

To the hand-held stage...

To the release to go forth and populate the world stage!  Amazing!

{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
0 Total
0 large
0 medium
0 small

{CHRYSALIS}
48

{MONARCH's}
1

Monarch 1: Female, Lucy.

6.12.12

This first generation of Monarch caterpillars for 2012 has put the frass stage in the past!  Frass is the formal name for Caterpillar poop.  On the right, the frass is from a newly hatched one day old caterpillar, on the left, the frass is from a caterpillar whose 'caterpillar stage' is coming to a close.  BIG difference!  But, as I have said, the frass stage is in the past for this generation, I just have two caterpillars waiting to change, and are in the last 24 hours of their caterpillar life.  These two no longer eat, they are just preparing themselves for the pupae stage!

{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
2 Total
2 large
0 medium
0 small

{CHRYSALIS}
47

{MONARCH's}
0

6.11.12

Here's 40 of our 42 chrysalis' so far this season!  
{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{NURSERY GUESTS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
7

{CHRYSALIS}
42

{MONARCH's}
0

6.10.12

Sadly, I had my fourth (of 53) caterpillar die.  I'm not exactly sure why, but while doing research as to what could be the cause of a caterpillar only half pupating and then suddenly dying, I have read that this 'catty' could have either has a parasite passed from its parents genetic materials (ie: sperm and egg) before it even hatched, or that it just didn't have the energy necessary in pupating.  Sad.


{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{NURSERY GUESTS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
9

{CHRYSALIS}
40

{MONARCH's}
0

6.9.12

'J's' EVERYWHERE!!!

{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{NURSERY GUESTS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
28 Total

{CHRYSALIS}
22

{MONARCH's}
0


***TODAY was an incredible day in 'Monarching' for me!  Of the SIXTEEN caterpillars that hatched on the same day two weeks ago, FIFTEEN of them climbed into the 'J' position today!  So exciting... and things sure move like clockwork!

6.8.12

'Brothers & Sisters!'

{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{NURSERY GUESTS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
28 Total

{CHRYSALIS}
22

{MONARCH's}
0

***I saw a Monarch butterfly in my yard today, it feels like its been weeks since I've seen a winged Monarch!  Hopefully another batch of eggs will be laid soon!

6.7.12

I will never tire of watching the incredible transition from caterpillar to pupa!


{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{NURSERY GUESTS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
30 Total
21 large
9 medium
0 small

{CHRYSALIS}
20

{MONARCH's}
0

6.6.12

It has been NINE days since I've has an egg hatch--- meaning two things;
1. No new generations
2. All of my caterpillars are getting HUGE!


So I decided to do some research, and I found that Monarch butterflies are born in four generations per year!  Good to know, because I've been wondering why my plants were no longer being visited by adult Monarchs!


From what I have read, it seems that the last generation of the season (the fourth) are the Monarch's the over-winter in California and Mexico.  This same '4th Generation' gently hibernates- sustaining itself mostly just on the raindrops and dew, with an occasional fluttering out in search for nectar if its is sunny and warm enough- but basically, just resting in groves for 6ish months.  As the weather warms, this '4th Generation' heads north and deposits eggs along its route.  Traditionally, each generation of Monarch butterflies only lives for about 6 weeks, so when a previos generation's days come to a close, the new generation rises up to fulfill the duty of inhabiting the earth! ;)


I'm still checking my plants, and I'm eagerly anticipating our next generation!  Hmmm, I wonder if our Monarch's are born from the eggs of those who over-wintered in the South, or if they are the descendants of the first generations born south of Michigan... I guess I'll have to see how many generations I'm able to take part in raising this season!




{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{NURSERY GUESTS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
30 Total
21 large
9 medium
0 small

{CHRYSALIS}
20

{MONARCH's}
0

6.5.12

We don't typically touch our Monarch caterpillars (my four-year-old was dying to know what they felt like!), we most frequently just move the leaf that the caterpillar is chomping on, or we use a wet tipped 1/2" paint brush to move our caterpillars when daily cleaning out their habitat.


{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{NURSERY GUESTS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
37 Total
11 large
16 medium
9 small

{CHRYSALIS}
14

{MONARCH's}
0

***I'm THRILLED to have 14 chrysalis's and 4-6 more getting ready to change tomorrow!  Ah-mazing!

***Another caterpillar died today.  I'm pretty sure this one was also bit to death.  Sad.  So far we have a 50/53 survival rate, still MUCH higher than the 10% survival rate in the 'wild!'

6.4.12

After caring for Monarch caterpillars for a couple of weeks, it is incredible to watch the hard work (well, not exactly hard work, just constant care & attention) pay off --- and watching the caterpillars change, one by one, into the Pupa stage!




{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{NURSERY GUESTS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
44 Total
18 large
16 medium
10 small

{CHRYSALIS}
7

{MONARCH's}
0

***I'm starting to feel like I need some more eggs... my largest caterpillars are making the great change by the handful these days... it is so exciting!

6.3.12

Most often, Monarch caterpillars are docile creatures, unless another invades in another's feeding territory. I believe that this is what happened to this caterpillar.  I am assuming that a caterpillars blood is green, just like its feces, because all it consumes are Milkweed leaves.


{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{NURSERY GUESTS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
54 Total
21 large {+/- 9-14 days old}
15 medium {8 days old}
13 small {4 & 6 days old}
4 chrysalis

***I woke up to find one of my larger caterpillars in a pool of his own green blood. I have been seeing a few feisty caterpillars biting at one another if they happen to touch each other while they are eating, and I know that hatchlings can consume each other if they can't find a food source just after hatching - but this was crazy, and sad.

***There are also three more chrysalis' hanging- and I couldn't be more thrilled!  I did miss two of the shedding their skin, but I enjoyed watching the third with my four-and-a-half year old son, and he was just as amazed!

A Chrysalis in the Making

FIRST Chrysalis!!!

For nine days I have fed and cleaned up after this growing young caterpillar!  Last night I watched as he spun a silky thread and hung upside down in the classic 'J position!'  I figured that I'd wake up to find a chrysalis, but I've learned that 'J position' - chrysalis takes about 18-20 hours.

When the caterpillar first began to wiggle, I noticed that the tip of the caterpillars bum began to seem translucent, and soon the entire caterpillar body began to take on a green tinge.  The body began shaking, similarly to panting, and then the caterpillar began to crunch its body like it was in labor - and since its giving birth to a new form of itself, it seems like an accurate description!  Intermittently, the caterpillar's body would plumpen and contract in segments, looking like a alien might burst from inside. Lastly, before the caterpillar's skin finally spilt, it looked like the caterpillar was wearing a puffer jacket!

It took only a single minute for the caterpillar skin to split open- starting from the head.  After the skin was completely scrunched up at the tip of the tail, the caterpillar then began to fling itself wildly inside the now green pupa.  A few minutes of 'dancing' inside the soft chrysalis, the caterpillar dripped its last caterpillar skin to the ground.

After several hours, the chrysalis continued to wiggle and harden, leaving beautiful markings on the the outside.  Eventually, the chrysalis fell still, and now we wait for 10-14 days before we can see all of the change that is taking place on the inside!

6.2.12

Absolutely GORGEOUS!  A spectacular green Monarch chrysalis!


{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
1 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
0 - after the 5 eggs were a week old, they were well past the 3-5 day incubation period, and so it seems that they will not hatch.

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{NURSERY GUESTS}
0

{CATERPILLARS}
55 Total
25 large {+/- 9-14 days old}
15 medium {7 days old}
13 small {3 & 5 days old}
1 chrysalis

Today has been an amazing day!  I stopped to pick some wild Milkweed along the road and found a 9 to 10 day old caterpillar!  Usually I can only find the itty bitty guys!  I also was witness to my first chrysalis! After caring for this amazing caterpillar for 9 days, I watched with my nose to the glass as the caterpillars skin split and the chrysalis emerged!  Unbelievable!  I cannot wait to watch this butterfly emerge!

6.1.12

When a Monarch caterpillar is getting ready to change into a chrysalis, it spins a patch of silk from its mouth, and then attaches its bum to the silk and hand upside down in the 'J Position' for nearly 24 hours before the change to chrysalis takes place.  


{FINDINGS}
0 eggs
0 caterpillars

{EGGS WAITING TO HATCH}
5 total eggs

{HATCHLINGS}
0

{NURSERY GUESTS}
29

{CATERPILLARS}
54

***Still no chrysalis yet... still patiently waiting, but it is close because my largest caterpillar has spun a silky thread and is hanging upside down in the 'J position' getting ready to change!