10.17.10 Chrysalis update

Today I have 23 Monarch Chrysalis….1 Queen Chrysalis, 1 caterpillar  in the “J” formation, 1 small Monarch caterpillar (about 1”) on one plant in the “house” and 2 Queen caterpillars (1/4”) on another plant.

Outside I have 3 Queen Caterpillars on a Giant Milkweed. This plant is about 5 1/2  ft tall with very unusual flowers. I thought it was beautiful and never asked  if it was a native milkweed….it’s not.   I had it in the ground but repotted it and will keep it in the screen room over the winter. That is a Queen caterpillar in the photo below near the bottom of the leaf….and a couple of the spots where it has eaten. They are very thick fleshy leaves. I had a Monarch caterpillar on this plant and it grew eating on only 1 leaf…then I put it in the Butterfly House.

2 of the caterpillars made their chrysalis on the underside of leaves in the “house”.

This chrysalis is dated 10.05.10 and is already darkening…look closely…you can see the outline of the wings. This was taken at 1330, 10.17.10

I am expecting it to emerge sometime tomorrow.