Butterflies & Moths

Metamorphosis

It’s an amazing thing to watch this process of caterpillar to butterfly. First they’re tiny…

Even little ones need to hide now and then...
Even little ones need to hide now and then…
...snug as a bug in a rug.
…snug as a bug in a rug.

They eat, sleep, shed several times, and grow restless for the heights…

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Mirror, mirror on the wall
Caterpillar Pilates
Caterpillar Pilates

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…then fasten themselves to a good, secure spot.

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Next comes the most amazing part. As a child when we did this, I never saw the chrysalis formation happen. I pictured the process as being similar to the moth that spins a cocoon around itself. But the chrysalis is within the caterpillar, waiting to neatly trim away all the stuff the butterfly will no longer need.

Monarch Metamorphosis from Snaphappy on Vimeo.

It takes perhaps a half an hour before the process is really complete.

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The old skin, discarded, lies on the ground beneath the finished chrysalis. Now it’s a matter of waiting for a week or 10 days till a butterfly emerges. We have 4 chrysalises and 4 caterpillars at the moment. Hopefully all 8 will emerge as healthy butterflies ready for their trip to Mexico.

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