Friday, July 25, 2008

the monarch emerges

emerging

Here she is emerging from her chrysalis. I walked into the kitchen on Sunday morning and the chrysalis had turned black. Or maybe it had turned clear because the black was the butterfly all squished in there and wet.

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We had pinned (or more like Auntie Jessica did while I was laying around, sick) the chrysalises to a stick because they were stuck in a jar and the leaves were getting moldy.

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This is after 5-10 minutes. She had to stretch her body and wings out before she started really looking like a butterfly.

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This is how she looked about an hour after she hatched. She still couldn't fly, but she was stretching and flapping her wings a bit.

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After several hours, suddenly she made a break for it. She flew to the nearest window and we knew it was time to set her free.

setting her free

The other one hatched the next day before we woke up. This is what it looked like the day before it hatched:

the day before she hatched

11 comments:

Laini Taylor said...

Brittany, the butterflies are beautiful, and. . .
CONGRATULATIONS on your forthcoming fifth! That's wonderful! Hugs!

Tamara said...

How neat that you got to see that. I think I may plant a milkweed just to see if I can entice any monarchs my way...

Paige said...

ZOFRAN. It's a miracle. I posted about it a few months back. You don't have to be sick. If you are super sick you can get a zofran pump to wear around. Saves your life.

Leigh said...

this is amazing - the transformation is incredible as are your amazing photographs! Thank you for sharing these with us

Vanessa said...

oh you are feeling sick :( I hope you are starting to feel better.

Kara said...

Wow, that was incredible. I've never seen it chronicled like that, in photographs. Super cool!

Kara said...
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Anonymous said...

Wow - awesome.

Moxie

Wendy said...

Very cool. Its not everyday you get to witness something like that. Thanks for sharing! I hope the sickness goes away SOON!

jenica said...

those are amazing pics! what a beautiful and amazing gift to be able to see that transformation right before your eyes.

Clair said...

I have to say....Rocco makes me come to this post almost every day so he can see the caterpillar transform into a butterfly. He's just fascinated by it. And everytime he has friends over, he has to show them this, too. So thanks for sharing the magic with us :)