There was much excitement ( for me!) in the royal nursery, yesterday. The first caterpillar successfully negotiated its way to adolescence. I noticed in the morning that one of the caterpillars looked as though it was ready to make a cocoon. I checked again about 2 in the afternoon but nothing had changed. I checked again about 3 hours later and the job was done. I am slightly miffed that I missed the chrysalis process. I need to watch more diligently when I see the next caterpillar preparing for its metamorphosis.
© silkannthreades
silkannthreades 
I’m amazed that you found it at all, it’s so camouflaged. Will we ever see the what pops out of the cacoon?
I hope so. I am trying to keep a close eye on the cocoons. I have found about 7 now but they are very well camouflaged.
It is a most fascinating process when you get to watch the caterpillar turn into a chrysalis. I love the “gold stitching” on the cocoon – more indicators of a monarch!
I found two more cocoons today. One of them attached to the thyme stems next to the swan plant. I thought that was a very sensible, secure place. Again I missed the actual process!
Absolutely fantastic!!! I am so happy for you…
Thank you for sharing these pictures with us. I am finding that I am sill as excited about seeing this as I was when I did it wit my class. Great shot, eve with the wind!
It’s fun, isn’t it?
hmmmmm ; i hope that we see the next stage! z
Me too.
Wonderful photo.
Thank you.
Wonderful photo. I bought my children a monarch butterfly kit as children where they could watch the whole process and let the butterflies go in the end. Fascinating. It would be fun to do this again and photograph it. Great shot!
It is fun. I feel as though I am having a second childhood!
Awesome!!!
Aren’t they tricky? I had a chrysalis in my classroom that we watched so very diligently – and then one day, there she was – wings and all, and not one of us caught it. Drat…
Yes, I feel I need a little monitor to alert me to changes. But I guess creatures like their privacy as much as we do.
So true!
Please don’t stop monitoring until the butterfly emerge. Nice to see this picture.
I am keeping a close watch.
beautiful…xo
Thank you. It was very hard to photograph. It seemed to move more than the caterpillar! It was very windy today.