# The Monarch caterpillar morphs



## Gilda (Aug 24, 2015)

First picture..yesterday it went into the J position which happens before it morphs into the chrysalis...I tried catching the change but it happened after I went to bed.




this morning the beautiful chrysalis....pic shot through the cage lid . we may transfer it to a stick..depends on if we find anymore.


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## NYEric (Aug 24, 2015)

Interesting. Thanks.


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## SlipperFan (Aug 24, 2015)

Amazing creatures!


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## Gilda (Aug 24, 2015)

SlipperFan said:


> Amazing creatures!



So .so true Dot ! The first time I got to see the caterpillar wriggle out of it's skin and turn into the chrysalis.....it was AMAZING, not how I expected the process to work ! The whole process is mind blowing !


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## Migrant13 (Aug 24, 2015)

Sweet. Do post updates!


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## Justin (Aug 25, 2015)

so the chrysalis basically "is" the caterpillar? wow i had no idea.


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## Gilda (Aug 25, 2015)

Justin said:


> so the chrysalis basically "is" the caterpillar? wow i had no idea.



Yes....the transformation happens in about 30 secs. Skin splits ,and it thrashes wildly to release the chrysalis. In these next 2 weeks, the "soup" inside turns into a butterfly. As it changes and forms it will turn black....you can see the wings thru the chrysalis then. I'll post updates. All of the ones in the past have hatched in the morning. It takes several hours before they are ready to fly.


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## cnycharles (Aug 26, 2015)

Hey I have some pics from this morning





Just a few seconds before, a monarch flew back and forth over trays of asclepias hybrid plugs. I went right to this spot and found the egg it had laid





Few hours later I saw this monarch not far from these plugs and it was filling up its new wings


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Gilda (Aug 26, 2015)

Yay Charles!!!!


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