I knew one of the nine chrysalides in the “eclosurie”1 would likely open this morning as the chrysalis was a shade of transparent I’ve come to know fairly well.
The question–as always–was…when? Continue reading “We are both so tired.”
Compared to last year, it feels like the flood gates have opened as far as egg and cat finding and that’s brought about some challenges for me related to keeping track of them. I am aware that there are folks that are raising significantly more than me, and I am amazed at them. Before I get into organization, here’s a peek at the current older instars in their keeper.
The weather finally came through to break the short heat wave we ‘d had. Rains most of the day, and I could not get the timing right to look for eggs between them. Continue reading “Hatching eggs on a rainy day”
While we were doing our evening watering, I startled a Monarch butterfly as I was wending through the one common milkweed patch that is overtaking a path. Then I watched fascinated as it flitted back to a plant within breathing distance, and laid an egg right in front of me. Continue reading “Later update on the growing foster family.”
Today brought unexpected finds in searching for younger Monarchs. Continue reading “Our growing foster family.”
When I found three more eggs today, I realized I’m already near to my entire season’s count last year. Continue reading “I’ve almost exceeded last year’s egg count”
I also found another egg. [Later in the day edit: plus three more just a bit ago–no time to update the image.] Continue reading “Finally seeing more Monarch visitors”
The chrysalis I mentioned last time did not eclose. I finally had taken it out and where the chrysalis had started cracking, I pulled it out just a bit, and as I did, I realized the entire thing felt like it could be crushed to dust in any minute between the fingers I was pressing as lightly as I could through a paper towel I had used to take it out of the keeper. It simply had dehydrated. Continue reading “Guardianship update: 31st August 2018”
So the chrysalis I thought maybe might be a late release yesterday still has not eclosed. I’ve read that after 48 hours of it being this clear, if they don’t eclose, something went wrong and they are likely dead.
