Five Chrysalis

I am definitely making arrangements to have caterpillars again next year. This whole experience has been fascinating and fun for *me,* not to mention educational and fun for the kids.

Annika and I woke up early Monday and we watched our first caterpillar turn into a chrysalis! It was very cool to watch. I was so excited to just happen upon the event, and even more excited to share it with Annika.

Monday night I watched as the third caterpillar attached himself to the top of the container lid. That was really fun to watch. The remaining three caterpillars had been hanging around the lid all day, but they did not stay in one place very long. I noticed one caterpillar would walk a few steps and then shake some, walk a few steps and shake, etc. So I watched it for about 15 minuets. Finally it stayed put and was shaking and scrunching its rear, it looked as if it were really trying to implant his rear into the top of our container. Turns out he was! Slowly his head drooped down some, then he'd go back up to the lid, droop down even farther, snap back to the lid; it was much like watching a young child fall asleep at the dinner table. But eventually he never snapped back up. His body eventually hung down in the J-shape that seems to precede chrysalis formation.

Today the three of us were eating breakfast, getting ready to go to the garden, and we noticed that the remaining three caterpillars were in the process of becoming chrysalises. (is that a word? What is the plural of chrysalis??) One of the remaining three had already transformed. The second transformed while we were getting dressed. But the third we kept a close eye on during breakfast, and lo and behold, we saw the transformation take place.

It happens so fast; if you step away to pour a glass of coffee you miss it. The caterpillar, who had been hanging upside down in a J-shape for awhile already, suddenly began to shake and wiggle quite a bit. Then the head just disappeared and the end of the chrysalis was visible, and suddenly we noticed the skin inched upwards. There was a big, quick, jump of the skin as it went over the larger part of the chrysalis, and then the skin quickly moved up and off the former caterpillar. The pupa (as Annika, correctly, insists on calling it now) wiggled for a short bit, then it was still. Within the next hour the chrysalis will harden completely.

In a few weeks butterflies should emerge. Keep an eye out for our continued butterfly watch!