Monarch Butterfles - Anybody raising them?

[James Burke]

Every once in a while a customer comes along and opens your mind to new, and perhaps, exciting things. Earlier this spring, I discovered one customer in particular was also a nature/science-lover and we discussed lots of things...walking in the great outdoors, honeybees...and of course, Monarch butterflies.

She turned me on to the idea of setting up a small nature lab in the corner of my shop, and now I'm the highly-esteemed caretaker of sixteen caterpillars, and four newly-found eggs I discovered on my walk this morning.

Here is a five part YouTube videos series showing the entire process from finding Monarch butterfly eggs to their final release:

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_I5F4AHyQHs

Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ehq__6MQP3w

Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJU8-FpGI78

Part 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84Ha_TjUpEk

Part 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-E71kVxFtI

 

[Gino]

That's really interesting and neat Fortunately for us around here, we still have lotsa butterflies. Mostly the yellow ones, including the yellow monarch and still the orange monarchs. We have all kinds shrubs and flowers to attract butterflies purposely....... and it works.

 

[James Burke]

I always thought Monarchs were orange, but I did see a yellow one yesterday. Monarchs in our area (Southern lower Michigan) have been in decline over the past few decades, perhaps due to predators since the milkweed attracts other critters.

Some 45 years ago, my first-grade teacher taught us about Monarchs. I always think of her whenever I see one. All those years, I've always looked for them but I never found anything. In her memory, I'm planning to release the first batch of butterflies from her headstone at the cemetery.


JB

 

[Gino]

I'm not sure of the actual location..... ya could probably Google it, but several times, years ago the area where the monarchs fly to froze over from some freak act of nature, killing off millions and millions of these orange little creatures, but they are returning.... slowly, but surely. Your contribution is just helping the world of monarchs. I'm sure there are other factors, but this is just called 'life'.

 

[James Burke]

Your contribution is just helping the world of monarchs.

Yep...but the pursuit of the undiscovered only fuels my love for learning. As a kid I used to absolutely hate school, but not anymore.


JB

 

[Gino]

Yesterday, I was out cleaning the fountains, filling bird feeders and other fun weekend outdoor things, so I took my phone with me and captured what we see around the property all the time. This thread seemed a fitting place to do this. Hope I'm not

 

[Gino]

Not to mention some other critters hangin' around...................

 

[James Burke]

This big guy is about a week old. It's amazing how much they can eat...and poop.


JB

 

[Gino]

I'm going blind....... I can't see anything...................................

 

[Billct2]

We also have a butterfly, and bee and hummingbird, friendly yard

 

[Gino]

Here's one I got last year. He was a few inches long and chewed down two maple trees.

 

[James Burke]

Here's one I got last year. He was a few inches long and chewed down two maple trees.

Per Google, here's your caterpillar Gino:

Cecropia moth caterpillars are quite large, measuring up to 4.5 inches.

In the initial stages, they are green, but their body may appear black due to the presence of hair. They populate the maple, cherry, and birch trees. Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/caterpillar-identification-chart.html

 

[Gino]

Wow, I was told it was a lunar moth. That's great to know and that's a really great site with all those crazy looking caterpillars. Look like some sort of invasion from Outer Space. They should have the caterpillar and next to it, what it becomes.

​

 

[James Burke]

Wow, I was told it was a lunar moth. That's great to know and that's a really great site with all those crazy looking caterpillars. Look like some sort of invasion from Outer Space. They should have the caterpillar and next to it, what it becomes.

​

You're right...there are a bunch of freaky looking bugs on that site, that's for sure.

JB

 

[bernie]

Good site JB!
I remember as a kid having butterflies everywhere. Don't see many these days so when I do, I take the time to watch them.
Bernie

 

[James Burke]

After two weeks of voracious eating...and voracious pooping, my caterpillars have now reached the chrysalis stage. The photo of the caterpillar in the "j" stage is just before it transforms into the chrysalis. So far, I have a dozen chrysalis' and about another dozen caterpillars in various stages of growth.

I'm not sure of the reason for the gold dots on the chrysalis. They're absolutely brilliant...almost as vivid as gold leaf. There are, however, two gold dots on the chrysalis in the location of the butterfly's eyes.

Here's an awesome video (not my footage) of the caterpillar when it goes into the chrysalis. In my opinion, that is the most stunning transformation. All things resembling the caterpillar (head, legs, antennae, etc...) fall away in about one minute's time in a crumpled blob of skin. All that remains is a moist bumpy bright green blob that slowly takes on a glass-smooth appearance in a few hours.

Once the skin sheds, you can see the vivid features of the new, yet unformed butterfly. It was there all along...slowly growing within the caterpillar.

https://www.facebook.com/birdladyGrammaGolden/videos/969318156464207/?fref=nf

If you look closely at the photo of the chrysalis, you can see the faint outline of the butterfly's wing.



JB

 

[Gino]

That was amazing.

I've never seen anything like that, but about 2:30 minutes into it, you get the feeling that the caterpillar is having second thoughts about this, huh ??

It's just remarkable how nature works.​

 

[James Burke]

That was amazing.

I've never seen anything like that, but about 2:30 minutes into it, you get the feeling that the caterpillar is having second thoughts about this, huh ??

It's just remarkable how nature works.​

You're absolutely right...and that's why I chose to raise them to see what really happens.

Perhaps you haven't guessed it by now, but 2015 has been a year of "transformation" for me and my family...in several vital areas. These little guys sure have taught me a lot about what it means to persevere.

We all have goals to get to the "butterfly stage" of life, but there's a lot we can miss if we don't pay attention to, and learn from, the "caterpillar stages" along the way.


JB