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rose_catA swallowtail butterfly emerged from its chrysalis this morning. It’s the first one I’ve caught in the act. And I got PICTURES.
You may remember my post from the end of September about the chrysalis that died. Since then, another has pupated (changed into a chrysalis) and successfully emerged as an adult butterfly. I came out just in time to see it, although I missed the process from initial emergence to pumping the wings full (which only takes about ten minutes). Another caterpillar grew about halfway to full size (about two inches long) before it died of a virus that’s been going around. But two others made it to the pupal stage.
One has dark areas – often a sign of disease – and may have died, although I’m still hopeful. But the other has been a healthy-looking green. Yesterday, in early afternoon (after about a week), the yellow wing panels were visible through the chrysalis, a sign that it was about to emerge. I was excited, but it hadn’t come out by early evening, when it had started to get dark and cool down, which, at least in my experience with monarchs, usually causes the pupa to wait until it warms up again. I figured it would be out bright and early in the morning and I’d miss it. I couldn’t resist giving it a gentle touch, and it twitched. (I touched the other as well, which is much smaller, and it didn’t move. Probably not a good sign.)
But this morning I got up at eleven-ish and hurried out to check on it. The chrysalis was still closed and I took some pictures. It had a deep-looking fissure at the head end. I wondered if that meant it was about to emerge. But I couldn’t help touching it again, and it didn’t move at all. My heart sank.
I was about to wash up and get dressed when something made me check again. The butterfly was halfway out! I grabbed my camera and raced back out. It was out, wings still crumpled, but it seemed skittish and flinched when I pointed the camera at it. (The monarchs have been relatively laid-back until they’re able to fly off.) I didn’t want to scare it – or make it fall while its wings were still wet, which could be disastrous – so I moved carefully. As the butterfly gradually expanded its wings, I finished the roll and started another. I was kneeling in the wet grass, and it occurred to me that my nightgown would probably have grass stains. But I was so thrilled to be getting pictures that I really didn’t care.
(The nightgown is fine, by the way.)
You may remember my post from the end of September about the chrysalis that died. Since then, another has pupated (changed into a chrysalis) and successfully emerged as an adult butterfly. I came out just in time to see it, although I missed the process from initial emergence to pumping the wings full (which only takes about ten minutes). Another caterpillar grew about halfway to full size (about two inches long) before it died of a virus that’s been going around. But two others made it to the pupal stage.
One has dark areas – often a sign of disease – and may have died, although I’m still hopeful. But the other has been a healthy-looking green. Yesterday, in early afternoon (after about a week), the yellow wing panels were visible through the chrysalis, a sign that it was about to emerge. I was excited, but it hadn’t come out by early evening, when it had started to get dark and cool down, which, at least in my experience with monarchs, usually causes the pupa to wait until it warms up again. I figured it would be out bright and early in the morning and I’d miss it. I couldn’t resist giving it a gentle touch, and it twitched. (I touched the other as well, which is much smaller, and it didn’t move. Probably not a good sign.)
But this morning I got up at eleven-ish and hurried out to check on it. The chrysalis was still closed and I took some pictures. It had a deep-looking fissure at the head end. I wondered if that meant it was about to emerge. But I couldn’t help touching it again, and it didn’t move at all. My heart sank.
I was about to wash up and get dressed when something made me check again. The butterfly was halfway out! I grabbed my camera and raced back out. It was out, wings still crumpled, but it seemed skittish and flinched when I pointed the camera at it. (The monarchs have been relatively laid-back until they’re able to fly off.) I didn’t want to scare it – or make it fall while its wings were still wet, which could be disastrous – so I moved carefully. As the butterfly gradually expanded its wings, I finished the roll and started another. I was kneeling in the wet grass, and it occurred to me that my nightgown would probably have grass stains. But I was so thrilled to be getting pictures that I really didn’t care.
(The nightgown is fine, by the way.)
