Monarch Butterfly #2

This one emerged yesterday and it finally flew away this morning. The process of developing from a large caterpillar to a very small chrysalis to this beautiful winged insect is always a miracle for me to watch happen. It is somewhat like waiting for a baby to be born and then seeing the baby alive and well. The pictures were taken after I placed it on the seedum blossom. It had attached itself to form the chrysalis to the edge of a plastic jar. It had nothing to cling to after emerging so I transferred it when still tiny but out of its shell. It took overnight for it to dry out enough to fly away. What a wonder! These pictures were all taken yesterday.

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Emergence

In an earlier story I showed you my find of a Monarch caterpillar and how it formed its chrysalis in my jar, on a milkweed leaf. I took the leaf and put it over the top of the jar and then put an elastic band around the opening to hold it in place while it developed, hanging over the opening.  I found it on August 4 and it developed into its pupa stage on August 9. Today it emerged. I didn't want it to get stuck in the jar so, as it was dropping out of its shell, I took the stiff and dried-out leaf and pinned it with a clothespin to the loop in my laundry line so it could dry before flying away. It took 2 hours to spread its wings before leaving. Everything went off with out a problem at all and that was my hope. As I was watching it spread its wings while on the leaf, it suddenly took off. I was caught unaware and didn't get the shot of its flight high in the sky as it headed to a destination far far away! It was a wonderful feeling to see it soar.

7:47 AM August 23, 2017

 

9:41 AM August 23, 2017

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Wonders will never cease...

Link to more information

Mother Nature's Marvel

Yesterday my caterpillar attached itself to the underside of one of the Milkweed leaves in its jar and went into the "J" shape. This morning it already has formed into a chrysalis. I now wait for about 10 days to two weeks according to internet information and it should emerge into a Monarch butterfly! To me this is one of Mother Nature's millions of marvels.

I apologize for the photos not being very good but feel happy that I captured them at all! I was too afraid of harming and interfering with its metamorphosis.

AUGUST 4

AUGUST 8

AUGUST 9

     Lifecycle Link

There are much better photographs at the link above. Just click on it.

Sundry Shoots

Yes, I was able to find a Monarch Butterfly but it wouldn't stay put for the best shot. Meanwhile, back at the cabin my larvae is gobbling at the leaves in the jar. 

Up in the old rock garden the Mister's geranium is thriving in its pipe pot.

At one end of the garden the Wild Snapdragon (aka Toadflax) haven't bloomed but at the top of the area they have. Pretty yellow fellows!

There is a large group of this plant but I can't seem to identify it. HELP! It gives off a medicinal type aroma when crushed. No flower buds are evident.

And up on the edge of the road the Thimble Berries are beginning to form. The problem is that just as soon as one is mature, the birds eat them and there is no chance of me even plucking a cupful of ripe ones. I was lucky to even see them today!

Chomp, Chatter and Ladybird protect the garden from the local bear.

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Blue Skies and Flying Critters

This Monarch butterfly landed on my hand when I was riding in my golf cart. it seemed too be disoriented but flew way fine after I put it on the ground.

I'll most likely use one of these as a background texture for  new "creation" soon.

 

And then I went back to "bird island."

A loose goose????!!!!  Who are you?

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