Our newly-hatched and very small
Monarch caterpillars finally arrive! We watch
them eat fresh milkweed leaves, grow, shed their skins, then eat and grow more! We observe their growth daily.
them eat fresh milkweed leaves, grow, shed their skins, then eat and grow more! We observe their growth daily.
Sadly, not all of the Monarch caterpillars survive. But those that do continue to munch on milkweed leaves and grow bigger and stronger each day! They shed their skins many times as they grow and grow!
Next, the caterpillars become bright green chrysalises and hang from the
top of the container. Over time, they become more translucent and we see the forming butterflies inside. Finally, the butterflies emerge from their chrysalis shells, hang upside down to dry and pump their wet wings, then
sip "nectar" we have made from honey and water. We observe with great interest!
One sunny day soon, we will release our Monarch butterflies and wish them a safe trip to warmer places far away! We look forward to their final "Fly Away Day!"