From Caterpillar to Chrysalis

Once upon a time, a small caterpillar was found on a milkweed leaf. It was taken to the safety of a caterpillar home where it was able to morph from a caterpillar to chrysalis on September 23, 2021 very early in the morning (3 am.) The story doesn’t end here.

From Caterpillar to Chrysalis

The Monarch Project 2021

For The Monarch Project 2021, this small caterpillar was number seventeen of eighteen caterpillars and found on Friday, September 17, 2021. All of the caterpillars were rescued from milkweed plants where the female Monarch butterfly lays her eggs on the underside of the leaf. Rescued because of the documentary, ‘Flight of the Butterflies.’ It has been said that only 1% of the Monarch caterpillars make it either to the chrysalis stage or to become a butterfly. I believe the eggs may be eaten or destroyed as well. Food for predators is only one possible scenario. Fast forward and after turning into a chrysalis, it began to show brown marks after a few days.

There were two dark marks and both the marks were growing and they felt rough and hard. The colour of the chrysalis turned paler. I thought it would be worth while to leave the chrysalis for a couple of weeks to see what would happen. Why?

A Fallen Chrysalis

Another chrysalis fell to the ground of the home while wiggling and giggling its skin off. In the falling down, it flatten one side and dented another. Yet, it morphed into a beautiful butterfly two weeks later. I named it Chubby Checker (caterpillar #14) because it did the twist! The Twist by Chubby Checker.

When a chrysalis falls to the ground, it may be reattached to the roof by several methods including dental floss. A tissue was chosen this time as a comfy place to lay down the chrysalis. An experiment! For a couple of other fallen chrysalis that were accidently dropped, were successfully reattached to the roof with dental floss. The chrysalis and tissue was placed close to the side of the home. When it becomes a butterfly it would climb up the side to the roof to hand upside down.

Hanging Upside Down

Hanging upside down would allow the butterfly’s wings and body to dry. This is a necessary step before taking flight. The first liquid that drops down is brownish and may very well be partially excrement (waste product or poop.) Perhaps it is clearing out the digestive pathway? If you eat, then you must poop! My favourite book for young toddlers/children, ‘Everyone Poops’ by Taro Gomi.

This is Chubby Checker and her skin. All of the caterpillar skins were eventually placed in my garden to become compost.

You know a chrysalis is about to change into a butterfly when you can clearly see it is a butterfly!

To appreciate the entire life cycle of the butterfly, would be to raise them. This way you can observe the various differences for yourself.

Much Appreciation

I appreciated watching the hungry caterpillar eat, its transformation into a chrysalis, its brilliant colours as a chrysalis (greens, white, black, and gold), the translucent chrysalis skin, the butterfly breaking free, the water dripping on my hand, how the butterfly’s claws tickled me as it climbed up my arm, identifying the sex of the butterfly by gently touching its wings so they would open wide, the joy on people’s faces when they held one of the butterflies, and the peaceful releases.

One such time, I decided to spend the entire drying time with one of a butterflies. Early one morning (7 am) with the butterfly on my hand and in bare feet, I took leave from my office to a nearby ravine where I met a new friend who actually loved butterflies and told stories about them to help people with their depression. His name is Dan and he will forever be a witness to a first flight of a butterfly.

Fall Monarch Butterfly, click here for article, photos, and video.

Coming soon!

For more photos and stories, click here for The Monarch Project 2021.