Monarch Update

Eighteen days ago we brought in two practically microscopic monarch eggs. This is the most exciting science project Abe and I have done to date. Three days after our start we added one newly hatched caterpillar to our collection and currently we have two chrysalis and one getting ready to enter a chrysalis.

Day 1

Day 5, the caterpillar is next to the hole in the leaf

Day 10, he just molted

Day 16

Day 17, Yesterday

Day 18, Today

We have a small patch of milkweed in our backyard so it makes it fairly easy to collect eggs. One of the things I've learned already, aside from the fact that monarch caterpillars grow extremely fast is that they don't survive in the wild very easily. While collecting milkweed leaves for our little guys (which is the only source of food for a monarch caterpillar) I have noticed a few eggs. I've found after looking rather hard two very small caterpillars. The chew spots outside on the plants where little caterpillars have been snacking are evident but none of the ones outside have survived. The larger caterpillars eat a lot of leaves and they can't leave the plant they're on or they will die (from lack of food). There hasn't ever been enough damage done to the plants for any of the outdoor caterpillars to have lived very long.

I have heard that monarch butterflies are becoming less and less but after having begun this project I can see with my own eyes the reality of this. You know how when you buy a new car suddenly you see that make and model virtually everywhere you go? Well, I can't help but spot milkweed plants all over, every time we go for a walk or for a hike and even while we were on vacation this past week in a different part of the country. Despite all the milkweed making itself known to me everywhere I go I never see any that has evidence of a full grown monarch caterpillar having snacked on it. Crazy!

None the less, our little guys seem to be doing very well and within the next ten days if nature takes it's course as it should we will be releasing a few full grown monarchs into the wild.

The other thing I'd like to say I learned but in reality its simply something I already knew but have had the ultimate pleasure of observing these past 18 days is that nature, life, and the world we live in is amazing! Watching these tiny white dots grow into large colorful caterpillars and hopefully soon become beautiful butterflies has been mind blowing.

____________________________________________

Needless statement but here goes anyhow: We kept the tiny caterpillars in mason jars with lids that we already had (they get plenty of air if you open the lid to clean out the jar and put fresh leaves in each day). And I purchased a small critter cage for just under $7 and a roll of paper towel for $1.

$8 is our total expense for this science project. So as long as we get three butterflies out of the ordeal I guess you could say we paid $2.66 per butterfly to watch them grow, learn a ton, be amazed, and release three butterflies into the wild.