My Quest to Save Monarch Butterflies, Part 2

I found my first caterpillar on July 7th, 2018. After relocating it from the milkweed plant it was feeding on to the safety of a mason jar on our screenporch, I brought it fresh milkweed frequently and cleaned the jar just as frequently. My "cat" was an eating machine and since what goes in, must come out, the jar regularly needed emptying.

4 days later, I found my "cat" hanging up-side-down from a white fuzzy button on its milkweed sprig. It was hanging in a distinct J shape.

The next day, a pale green chrysalis was hanging where the caterpillar had been.

After 10 to 14 days, the outer layer of the chrysalis became transparent and I could see the compacted wings of a monarch butterfly inside.

I ordered a mesh enclosure and placed the chrysalis inside. I wanted to be certain there was room for the butterfly to move around after it emerged from the chrysalis.  I didn't witness the emergence of my first butterfly but was thrilled to find it moving its wings as it hung at the bottom of the empty chrysalis.

That's it in a nutshell. I found myself under the spell brought on by witnessing this magical transformation.

I spent the rest of the summer gathering caterpillars and even the eggs they hatch from on my milkweed plants.

In further posts, I will go into greater detail about my experiences and I'll share some of the hundreds of photos I took.