We Have Butterflies!!!!

Yesterday morning (Sunday 7/13/08) we discovered that our first two chrysalises had opened and two butterflies had emerged. I was disappointed that we had missed the actual moment the butterflies came out, but realized that we still had 4 more opportunities to catch the "big moment". We played with our two newborn butterflies a little bit yesterday, and released them early this morning (7/14/08). Shortly after that, our third butterfly emerged (we missed the very beginning of it). Another chrysalis was ready to hatch, so Isaac and I kept a close eye on it, and luckily we caught it from the very first moment! Here are the two video clips put together into one "movie". The first part of the clip isn't great video, because I wasn't properly prepared, but when the second butterfly emerges about half-way through the clip, you will get a very good look at the process. It is FAST! We determined that the two butterflies that hatched yesterday were male, while the two that hatched today are female. Check this link to see how to determine the gender of a Monarch butterfly.



Here is another website with some fantastic photographs documenting the Monarch's life cycle.

LOOK THROUGH EYES OF HOPE AND SEE A BUTTERFLY INSIDE THE CATERPILLAR, HOPE KNOWS THAT BEAUTY IS WAITING TO BE BORN IN THE UNLIKELIEST PLACES ... Thea Miller Ryan