Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: FlintWalker on August 27, 2011, 02:37:07 pm

Title: I wonder what this'll turn into?
Post by: FlintWalker on August 27, 2011, 02:37:07 pm

Found this in my garden this morning. Gonna keep it at the house so my little boy can keep an eye on it.

Title: Re: I wonder what this'll turn into?
Post by: jthompson1995 on August 27, 2011, 02:45:35 pm

That's a monarch chrysalis. Watch for it to turn black just before the butterfly emerges. We had a few as kids. One we could even take for walks around the neighborhood and it wouldn't fly away.

Title: Re: I wonder what this'll turn into?
Post by: gstoneberg on August 27, 2011, 02:55:59 pm

Yup, that'll be a monarch.  Right before it hatches you'll actually be able to see the butterfly wings inside.  I used to catch a few caterpillars  every summer so the kids could watch them hatch.  Good memories.

George

Title: Re: I wonder what this'll turn into?
Post by: FlintWalker on August 27, 2011, 03:30:59 pm

Any idea how long it usually takes? 

Title: Re: I wonder what this'll turn into?
Post by: gstoneberg on August 27, 2011, 03:46:52 pm

Just a few days, wait I looked it up.  10 days.  Go to http://www.monarch-butterfly.com/  They've got a video of one hatching.  Hope it's Ok to post that link?

George

Title: Re: I wonder what this'll turn into?
Post by: mullet on August 27, 2011, 10:25:27 pm

 No problem George, as long as they aren't selling Butterflys. Thank goodness it's not Zombies. :o

Title: Re: I wonder what this'll turn into?
Post by: osage outlaw on August 28, 2011, 04:43:56 pm

Do you have any milkweed plants near your garden?

Title: Re: I wonder what this'll turn into?
Post by: gstoneberg on August 28, 2011, 06:08:26 pm

I'd bet on it. ;D 

We used to have a terrarium I put the caterpillars and chrysalises I found into.  Usually they were monarchs.  But, one time on a church workday I found a huge moth cocoon on the outside of a window frame.  I carefully cut it off and then reglued it to a piece of wood in the terrarium.  The next year (long after we'd forgotten about it) it hatched into a beautiful cecropia moth (which has the largest wingspan of the American moths).  The girls took to to school for show and tell.  Then we let it go.

George