Caterpillars to Butterflies

The Monarchs are reproducing in my zinnia garden at the side of the hose. Last week, I discovered a chrysalis attached to the siding. When my grandson came to visit, he and his grandma found some others along the bottom edge of the siding. A couple were already empty. Today I saw the caterpillar above looking for a place to attach. When I went back later I could not find it. The chrysalises we found were in different stages of development. One was emerging from the shell.  A couple had already hatched out and flown away. I am excited to find this many monarchs, even though the caterpillars stripped the leaves from my milkweed plants.

Caterpillars eat

Milkweed leaves disappearing

Fall butterflies hatch

Chrysalis shells split open

Monarchs’  migration ready

Photos: Dwight L. Roth