Releasing Monarch Butterflies

The last of the Monarch Butterflies have flown away . . . a magical and seasonal ritual comes to an end . . .  for me at least . . . until another year. Monarch migration is well under way with millions of Monarch butterflies on their way to Mexico. If you would like to learn more you can visit here .

Monarch Butterfly Metamorphosis: Part Three ~ Emergence

This is the crowning moment of the Monarch Butterfly Metamorphosis. Seeing the butterfly pushing open its sheer chrysalis casing door and flipping out into the world whole and perfect is a joyous observation and one that causes one to pause and ponder at the marvels of our natural world. While we pause, the Monarch butterfly's over sized abdomen pumps liquid life into veins woven throughout its wings . . . causing the wings to expand. The butterfly hangs helpless as the wings, that will carry it towards a miraculous migration, dry and harden. 

If you would like to learn and see more of this fascinating stage of the Monarch Metamorphosis click here and here.

Monarch Butterfly Metamorphosis: Part Two ~ Chrysalis

The Monarch Butterfly Metamorphosis continues with the jewel-like chrysalis that might be hanging under any twig or leaf in a field or garden where milkweed grows. 

Dreams about to become real.

Monarch Butterfly Metamorphosis: Part One ~ Changing Casings

The Monarch Butterfly's metamorphosis is a journey through clear casings beginning with an egg. A tiny caterpillar carves a hole in a clear intricately etched dome capsule and exits while entering the hairy leafy landscape of its host plant Milkweed. The teeny caterpillar then makes a meal of the nutritious casing and begins chewing its way about the plant pausing to change skin four times, as it grows too big to be contained.

The fifth and final change of its tight clear and black-stripped skin finds the caterpillar hanging and pulling up the curtain, so to speak, to what it has been nurturing within all along . . .  a chrysalis is born to form. Within hours the outer clear casing hardens protecting the inner jade green cellular soup and templates that make up the new Monarch Butterfly chrysalis. Life is not still within this final casing. A complete metamorphosis is underway. A marvel to witness and joyous to mull over.

To see and learn more about the Monarch Butterfly Metamorphosis visit Flower Hill Farm.

Glimpses of a Metamorphosis ~ Raising Monarch Butterflies ~ A Sneak Peek

July's ending finds all of my Monarch chrysalis casings empty. The joy of raising and releasing Monarch Butterflies is not finished for this year, however, for the process begins anew . . .  with more eggs and small caterpillars to care for. It has been a fabulous Monarch butterfly season here at Flower Hill Farm. I hope you enjoy a few glimpses into the magical metamorphosis. There will be more to come later on.

Monarch Butterflies From The Garden Past

Looking back towards Flower Hill Farm butterflies from the summer and fall gardens of 2011.