Like doubtless many others through time, Richard Stringer was watching a beautiful monarch butterfly emerge from its chrysalis and wondered about the miracle of it all.
Found during a day hike in La Selva biological station, Braulio Carillo national park, Costa Rica. For text accompanying photos you can visit my blog at www.pbertner.wordpress.com
On July 1st, the Monarch Butterfly that I have posted earlier as an egg and then a caterpillar, emerged from its chrysalis. This picture is from two days after it formed the chrysalis, and shows the beautiful jade green color that the chrysalis has. This picture was taken on day eight as a chrysalis. Tiny areas of color are beginning to show where the feet and antennae are. The gold decoration spots are just that and serve no purpose other than camouflage, although they don't look like an attempt to blend in. The forming butterfly inside is itself green, as the outer skin is completely transparent. So it needs to make big changes in the next 48 hours to have the bold colors of a Monarch Butterfly. Here is the chrysalis on day 10. Once the skin looks this clear the butterfly will emerge within an hour. Lots of color change did happen! The chrysalis is completely still for the entire ten days, making no movement after the first few hours when it formed. Now, just before it emerges, small movements can be seen through the camera lens around the legs and head. Very quietly the chrysalis skin splits and the butterfly begins to emerge. It hangs on with its feet and pushes its body and wings out of the skin. In the pictures below the new butterfly drops completely out and struggles to get a leg hold outside the chrysalis skin. From the instant the chrysalis skin breaks open the butterfly is pumping fluid from its abdoman into the wings, even while it emerges from the chrysalis. Note how big the abdoman is and how small the wings are in the pictures below. Within an hour the wings are fully extended, but are very limp, and need to harden. The butterfly turned and moved around quite a bit on the old skin while pumping fluids into its wings. Four hours later the butterfly was opening and closing its wings. The wings were hard enough for short flights. I took the butterfly outside and put it on the wild Vervain in the garden. After a few seconds it flew off into the sky. I only had time for a couple of pictures, one below, before it was gone. It took 27 days for the entire process from egg to flying away as a butterfly. 3 days as an egg, 14 days as a caterpillar, and 10 days as a chrysalis. With luck, the butterfly will live for several weeks. Enought time to start the next generation.
I finally caught the emergence -- this morning around ten o'clock. This is the first of a series I will process as I get to them. It was quite exciting and fascinating to see. I have one more chrysalis on the plant, though I might miss it, I'd like to have a second chance and do a few things a little differently. Might well overdose on these before I'm finished.
All creatures great and small in our ever popular animal gallery
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Adult butterfly images in comments.... Pu'er, Yunnan, China
On July 1st, the Monarch Butterfly that I have posted earlier as an egg and then a caterpillar, emerged from its chrysalis. This picture is from two days after it formed the chrysalis, and shows the beautiful jade green color that the chrysalis has. This picture was taken on day eight as a chrysalis. Tiny areas of color are beginning to show where the feet and antennae are. The gold decoration spots are just that and serve no purpose other than camouflage, although they don't look like an attempt to blend in. The forming butterfly inside is itself green, as the outer skin is completely transparent. So it needs to make big changes in the next 48 hours to have the bold colors of a Monarch Butterfly. Here is the chrysalis on day 10. Once the skin looks this clear the butterfly will emerge within an hour. Lots of color change did happen! The chrysalis is completely still for the entire ten days, making no movement after the first few hours when it formed. Now, just before it emerges, small movements can be seen through the camera lens around the legs and head. Very quietly the chrysalis skin splits and the butterfly begins to emerge. It hangs on with its feet and pushes its body and wings out of the skin. In the pictures below the new butterfly drops completely out and struggles to get a leg hold outside the chrysalis skin. From the instant the chrysalis skin breaks open the butterfly is pumping fluid from its abdoman into the wings, even while it emerges from the chrysalis. Note how big the abdoman is and how small the wings are in the pictures below. Within an hour the wings are fully extended, but are very limp, and need to harden. The butterfly turned and moved around quite a bit on the old skin while pumping fluids into its wings. Four hours later the butterfly was opening and closing its wings. The wings were hard enough for short flights. I took the butterfly outside and put it on the wild Vervain in the garden. After a few seconds it flew off into the sky. I only had time for a couple of pictures, one below, before it was gone. It took 27 days for the entire process from egg to flying away as a butterfly. 3 days as an egg, 14 days as a caterpillar, and 10 days as a chrysalis. With luck, the butterfly will live for several weeks. Enought time to start the next generation.
The life cycle of a butterfly goes through FOUR stages of life. They undergo metamorphosis (changes and grows at each stage). What is Metamorphosis? Also read butterfly fun facts.
Like doubtless many others through time, Richard Stringer was watching a beautiful monarch butterfly emerge from its chrysalis and wondered about the miracle of it all.
The butterfly life cycle, during which it changes from caterpillar to butterfly, consists of four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. During the pupa stage, the caterpillar's body shelters inside a chrysalis, gradually turning to liquid. At the end of the transformation it emerges as a butterfly.
Come learn how to safely move a monarch chrysalis and hang it elsewhere when needed. It is a delicate process, but very simple to do!
Danaus plexippus on Tropical Milkweed, Asclepias curassavica Thanks to Ronnie, my monarch season started early this year.
There is a lot of action going on inside a Monarch butterfly chrysalis. We assume that the inside is just 'mush' but it isn't mush. I...
On July 1st, the Monarch Butterfly that I have posted earlier as an egg and then a caterpillar, emerged from its chrysalis. This picture...
Pu'er, Yunnan, China see comments for additional image…..
Sergeant Butterfly Chrysalis (Athyma sp., Nymphalidae) Pu'er, Yunnan, China
On July 1st, the Monarch Butterfly that I have posted earlier as an egg and then a caterpillar, emerged from its chrysalis. This picture is from two days after it formed the chrysalis, and shows the beautiful jade green color that the chrysalis has. This picture was taken on day eight as a chrysalis. Tiny areas of color are beginning to show where the feet and antennae are. The gold decoration spots are just that and serve no purpose other than camouflage, although they don't look like an attempt to blend in. The forming butterfly inside is itself green, as the outer skin is completely transparent. So it needs to make big changes in the next 48 hours to have the bold colors of a Monarch Butterfly. Here is the chrysalis on day 10. Once the skin looks this clear the butterfly will emerge within an hour. Lots of color change did happen! The chrysalis is completely still for the entire ten days, making no movement after the first few hours when it formed. Now, just before it emerges, small movements can be seen through the camera lens around the legs and head. Very quietly the chrysalis skin splits and the butterfly begins to emerge. It hangs on with its feet and pushes its body and wings out of the skin. In the pictures below the new butterfly drops completely out and struggles to get a leg hold outside the chrysalis skin. From the instant the chrysalis skin breaks open the butterfly is pumping fluid from its abdoman into the wings, even while it emerges from the chrysalis. Note how big the abdoman is and how small the wings are in the pictures below. Within an hour the wings are fully extended, but are very limp, and need to harden. The butterfly turned and moved around quite a bit on the old skin while pumping fluids into its wings. Four hours later the butterfly was opening and closing its wings. The wings were hard enough for short flights. I took the butterfly outside and put it on the wild Vervain in the garden. After a few seconds it flew off into the sky. I only had time for a couple of pictures, one below, before it was gone. It took 27 days for the entire process from egg to flying away as a butterfly. 3 days as an egg, 14 days as a caterpillar, and 10 days as a chrysalis. With luck, the butterfly will live for several weeks. Enought time to start the next generation.
Monarch chrysalis, Danaus plexippus, Durham, North Carolina. Danaus_plexippusPCSL14023B 9/12/97
Come learn how to safely move a monarch chrysalis and hang it elsewhere when needed. It is a delicate process, but very simple to do!
The aesthetic of me not being there Adam Fuss, Untitled, From the series 'My Ghost', 2000
On July 1st, the Monarch Butterfly that I have posted earlier as an egg and then a caterpillar, emerged from its chrysalis. This picture is from two days after it formed the chrysalis, and shows the beautiful jade green color that the chrysalis has. This picture was taken on day eight as a chrysalis. Tiny areas of color are beginning to show where the feet and antennae are. The gold decoration spots are just that and serve no purpose other than camouflage, although they don't look like an attempt to blend in. The forming butterfly inside is itself green, as the outer skin is completely transparent. So it needs to make big changes in the next 48 hours to have the bold colors of a Monarch Butterfly. Here is the chrysalis on day 10. Once the skin looks this clear the butterfly will emerge within an hour. Lots of color change did happen! The chrysalis is completely still for the entire ten days, making no movement after the first few hours when it formed. Now, just before it emerges, small movements can be seen through the camera lens around the legs and head. Very quietly the chrysalis skin splits and the butterfly begins to emerge. It hangs on with its feet and pushes its body and wings out of the skin. In the pictures below the new butterfly drops completely out and struggles to get a leg hold outside the chrysalis skin. From the instant the chrysalis skin breaks open the butterfly is pumping fluid from its abdoman into the wings, even while it emerges from the chrysalis. Note how big the abdoman is and how small the wings are in the pictures below. Within an hour the wings are fully extended, but are very limp, and need to harden. The butterfly turned and moved around quite a bit on the old skin while pumping fluids into its wings. Four hours later the butterfly was opening and closing its wings. The wings were hard enough for short flights. I took the butterfly outside and put it on the wild Vervain in the garden. After a few seconds it flew off into the sky. I only had time for a couple of pictures, one below, before it was gone. It took 27 days for the entire process from egg to flying away as a butterfly. 3 days as an egg, 14 days as a caterpillar, and 10 days as a chrysalis. With luck, the butterfly will live for several weeks. Enought time to start the next generation.
Have you ever seen a monarch chrysalis in your butterfly garden? If not, here are 50 places to look for them, including props you can put up to help them.
Come learn how to safely move a monarch chrysalis and hang it elsewhere when needed. It is a delicate process, but very simple to do!
Good things come to those who wait, and waiting isn’t always easy, especially when taking nature photos. Photographing the perfect scene sometimes means sitting in foul weather or extreme temperatures, holding … Read more
