Metamorphosis

We have had two guests staying with us for the last two weeks. Mostly, they've been quiet and polite, except for the excessive amounts of poop they leave on the kitchen table or counter top. They rode into the house as eggs on some milkweed Jason and Addy put in a flower vase. About a week after sitting on our kitchen table the milkweed was looking like it needed to head to the compost. Thankfully, as I removed some of of the other flower I noticed two teeny black, white, and yellow striped caterpillars. Monarchs!





And so for the last two weeks we have been honored and oh so excited to wake up each morning to witness the growth of these two amazing creatures. These last few days they have eaten a ton. I thought for sure we'd have to take them back outside so they could carry on with their lives without us as onlookers (and without Elliott screaming at them every day). Though we refreshed their milkweed supply a part of me did feel bad for keeping them. Yesterday, Addy and I had to resuscitate one that had fallen into the water. It seems that they were starting to slow down and get ready for their big change and this one took a plunge. When I saw it motionless at the bottom of the vase I felt terrible, This caterpillar died because we wanted to keep it. But amazingly, the little duder was back to crawling after ten minutes or so.

This morning when I woke up I did my caterpillar check and I was unable to find them. "Jason, where'd they go?" He pointed to the light green chrysalises dangling under two different leaves. Amazing! And then I noticed their skin, all crumpled up on the counter top, antennae and all.




The pictures aren't great. They are blurry and you can't see the amazing detail of the chrysalis. It's nearly transparent and in the right light you can see 'something', eyes, feet, wings?, body. It glistens and there are parts that literally look golden, like there's golden silk woven through. They hang from one teeny white sticky spot that is attached to what looks like one of their little black legs.

I continue to be in awe of these amazing creatures and feel so honored that we get to witness this metamorphosis. What an incredible experience to share with Addy. She loved watching them munch on the leaves and learning all about them. She and Nonno even checked a book out from the library about monarchs. Ten more days of being in awe, watching the chrysalises change from light green to black before the beautiful monarch butterflies emerge. We can't wait.