From Caterpillar to Chrysalis

There was no debating what I was going to blip today - it had to be a monarch caterpillar going into its final stage before becoming a butterfly.  I missed this yesterday when # 3 changed, but luckily Cat #2 was in position to make the change today.  When I went out this morning, I took the cover off the enclosure, set up a tripod with the D600 and the Nikkor 105 mm lens and then I waited.  And waited.  And waited.  I made quick sorties around the garden, but never more than 10 minutes.

Finally, nearly 3 hours later, I saw that the cat's antennae were droopy which I'd been told was the signal that the change was about to occur.  Another 45 minutes, during which time I was poised with camera and cell phone...waiting.  Then, suddenly, I saw a small bit of green emerging from the head-end of the cat.  Within two minutes, the skin was shed and lying on the bottom of the enclosure and # 2 was a shiny chrysalis.  What an amazing thing to see!   I managed to video part of it on my cell phone and posted the video HERE on YouTube - only about 30 seconds.  And I posted a series of 4 shots, taken at various stages of the transformation starting HERE on Flickr.  

Cat # 1, who was the smallest, was at the top of the enclosure last night, but back down in the bottom eating again this morning.  When I just checked now, he is back at the top of the enclosure where I suspect he is going to stay.  He will probably change tomorrow.  

If everything I read is accurate, I should have the first Monarch in 10-12 days.  

So that is the big Monarch news for the day.  In other news...

Hubs and I had a wonderful dinner last night and watched the sun set over Tomahawk Lake.  

The hummingbirds are now in full frenzy, chasing anything that moves.  Today, one of them went ripping after a blue jay, which is the very definition of optimism.  

After a couple of days of 90 F, tomorrow is going to cool down - I plan to take advantage of it with an early outing.

The cats (four-legged ones) had an epic battle this morning ...and then several hours later were curled up not 4 feet from each other, fast asleep.  I wish I could get into their furry little heads and understand what they are thinking.  

Hoping you all have a good Thursday...

TTFN

Footnote:  About 12 days later when #3 tried to emerge from the chrysalis, it became apparent that he/she was not going to survive.  Sadly, it had to be euthanized.  Most likely, it had the OE spore larva which affect so many monarch butterflies.