Creekside

No better time than now

Tag Archives: Flowers


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Chrysalis to Monarch

10:59 AM Chrysalis appears ebony and shiny. It’s actually that the chrysalis itself is translucent and the black wing markings are providing most of the color. You can see a bit of dark orange from the wing as well. When the chrysalis looks black like this, when you can discern wing markings, emergence is immanent.
12:08 PM Barely an hour later (I missed it). The Monarch has emerged. It will cling near the chrysalis for hours while it prepares to be able to fly. Good time to get photos. In the next stage it will pump its wings. Yellow arrow: Monarch butterfly. Orange arrow: The shed chrysalis. It is nearly transparent. My observation is that the more transparent the shed chrysalis appears, the healthier the butterfly. Some have been grey, dark grey, cloudy. Butterflies from such chrysalides often cannot fly away.
Better photo of the newly emerged Butterfly in better light.


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Chrysalis in Thorny Bougainvillea

First time for me to find a Monarch chrysalis amidst the Bougainvillea. As they are very thorny, I was not positive that the caterpillars would go there. On the other hand the camouflage is good.

Perspective on chrysalis is Bougainvillea. Camouflaged.

Right now I am watching eight chrysalides in my garden. But as you can see, they are so well camouflaged that there must be several more hidden in the leaves that I have not found.

With this finding of the chrysalis in the Bougainvillea there is now a chrysalis or J stage caterpillar in all of the plants in this corner. Alstroemeria, lantana, salvia/sage, and Bougainvillea.

Note: Over 24 caterpillars in the Milkweeds today.


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Monarch Butterfly Chrysalis on Alstroemeria

The camouflage with the color of the chrysalis being nearly the same color as the Alstroemeria leaves is astounding.

I am concerned that this chrysalis is affixed to the flower petal and that the petal may drop before the butterfly 🦋 is ready to emerge. However, the Alstroemeria is long blooming. And it might be affixed to the end of the flower stem.

I’ll provide the visual story as it unfolds.