Monarch caterpillar arrives

This past weekend we had a thoughtful and surprising gift dropped off at our house - a monarch caterpillar nearly ready to pupate, which neighbours could not keep as they were going on holiday.  We've watched caterpillars transform into butterflies here before (a black swallowtail last year), but were more than happy to host this monarch and watch it's process.  It ate milkweed for two days (you need to feed it fresh plants every day and clean out the frass, aka poo), then started to climb the stick we had left in the large jar, and today formed it's chrysalis.  Now we wait 7-10 days to see it hatch into a monach butterfly.  Good instructions for caring for various butterflies are here at Butterfly School

.