It started with...

...a notion

That really spells trouble right there...I'm sure If Frankie was standing behind me as I type this he'd be shaking his head "yes" vigorously!

~Pour yourself a cup of your favorite beverage and I'll tell you my tale~

 About 4 years ago, I became wildly fascinated with the migration of  Monarch butterflies. Thousands trek from Mexico to the East Coast every year. We've only had one year where they flit and fluttered like mad before the numbers dwindled drastically. I started following a web site monarch and watched and learned. Then, three years ago, I decided to plant my own milkweed to hopefully attract the adult Monarch.

*Milkweed is the only plant that adult Monarchs will lay their eggs on. It's also the only plant that once the larvae hatches will eat. Basically, I watered and killed the aphids that suck the nectar out of the plant for 3 years. 

Boring, but necessary, and as I looked under a leaf for the gazillionth time, I spied the 1st egg! I think I hyperventilated googling images to make sure, 100% sure, that that's what I was looking at. That was 4 weeks ago.

 * Each time I went out to check the plant, more larvae appeared.  The vicious Santa Ana's flared up & I had to bring this huge potted milkweed plant to my back patio that is better protected from the winds. I rearranged everything to accommodate this plant! I figured I was already vested & felt as though I was gifted as their steward, so I enlisted Frankie's help to clamp a tarp against the railing.  As the number of larvae grew and as some would wander off, I asked Frankie, to please build an enclosure. He built an amazing 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 ft. butterfly habitat from PVC. We hot glued white tulle onto the pipe & now they were as safe as possible from the winds AND the birds. 

Soon we had 40 larvae. 

They pretty much eat and poop. 

*They eat and eat and eat! They eat so much & so fast I was running out of milkweed. In a near panic I called nursery after nursery to see if they carried the plant. Thank goodness for Green Arrow! So far, I'm several trips and 8 plants in ($7.99 ea!) The Santa Ana's were still whipping about and I would lay in bed worrying about those critters as much as I worried about my roof blowing off. One night, around 1 a.m. I went out to check on them & to make sure that the covering I had placed over the habitat was holding. Sure enough, it had blown off & I had to find a way to secure it. Everyone was safe!  So you see,  I was busy, busy, busy, and so much of my attention was focused on these babies that were growing faster and faster. I was still researching to try & stay ahead of them so I knew what to expect next! 

* I was tickled pink once I knew there was enough food and the winds had died down. I looked forward to sitting and playing with and learning about these amazing creatures after work. The larvae shed 4 times and go through 5 instars (stages between molting) then climb away from the milkweed to secure & attach themselves to get ready to pupate. 

My "babies" are getting fatter and plumper!

REALLY PLUMP!

*Oh he's ready!

After awhile, the feeding frenzy slowed way down and the critters started making their way to the top of the habitat. Once there, they pretty much don't move for a few days, & attach themselves with a "silk button."

Then...

...the magic really starts to happen. The larvae do a "J" hang and will stay like this for another few days and if you are lucky, you can actually watch as they shed the outside skin for the last time & emerge as this beautiful chrysalis.  Sadly, nature isn't as beautiful and perfect as we'd like it to be and thhis little guy didn't pupate successfully. I've also had to educate myself on all the things that can go wrong with Monarchs. They have a hard time out in nature. Besides parasites that can harm the caterpillar, I've lost 4 chrysalis to the Tachinid Fly that uses the caterpillar as a host to do its own pupating. The first one was devastating.  I had to further read about how to destroy the chrysalis humanely. I had to get a real backbone to even deal with the next 3. A few days ago, I cleaned the habitat, took out what I suspected as infected milkweed, found the fly larvae, and hoped that the rest of the chrysalis were not infected. Normally, the caterpillars crawl away from the plant to go J hang, two guys decided not to... So I've had to learn how to re-hang the chrysalis otherwise I'd have deformed butterflies.

I've had to secure 2! I've found a chrysalis under an outdoor chair and under a fern-like plant.

I found this guy 2 days ago wandering about...

 *He's the only caterpillar left.

This...

...is where we're at today.

I call the habitat the napping house now. It's filled with 30 healthy looking chrysalis. 

You can definitely see the wings forming on this one! 

Now, we sit...

...and wait.
They'll stay like this for about 12-14 days. The temps here have been cold and hot so

 I'm scared and excited about watching the butterflies emerge. I know that deformities can happen. What makes these butterflies so special is that they are 4th generation. These are the ones that will fly to Mexico to start the whole process over again. That's why I've been so neurotic passionate about making sure these survive!
We have about 4-6 days before the first ones start to emerge.
I could NOT have done this without Frankie...he's my hero and has urged me along through the good and not so good times with this venture.

For my peeps on IG, thank you for your support & welcomed comments and hope I have not inundated you with pics. I'm really trying to curb my enthusiasm, at the same time draw you in so that you can enjoy the journey with me.

It's been such a fabulous learning experience and it's not over yet!

To be continued...

Happy (butterfly) snapping!

xo

Kelly