A Monarch is born

Here's the Chrysalid to Monarch story, shown in a sequence of photographs I took with a Canon Powershot S410 Digital Elph.

The first was taken on September 10th, the day after the chrysalid was discovered in a bed of flowers by young Aiden Smith, aged four.

The photos taken yesterday morning and early afternoon are also labeled by minutes and seconds. Much of the dramatic action of the emergence happened within a period of a minute-- around 12:32 pm.

Saturday, September 10, 2005


Mon Sept 12, 2005


Friday, 9/16/05

Sunday -9/18/05
[note color of wings showing through
That inspired me to come have a look the next morning.]


8:34 a.m - Monday--Black!


11:39 a.m. Monday

12:32:03 pm Monday


12:32:13 pm-- Monday

12:32:21
[Everything happening very fast!]

12:38:21 p.m Monday




12:52 pm Monday

At this point the butterfly had reached its complete size. It had to stay there until its wings dried before it could take flight. I had to leave at 1 pm. Eleanor Tauber, who also witnessed the butterfly's emergence, stayed another 1/2 hour. Also present: a woman named Elise or Lisa, who made an accomplished sketch of the chrysalid before the emergence. By the time Jim Lewis stopped by in the late afternoon the Monarch was gone. Only the empty chrysalid case remained.