Monarch Memories

 This will be backdated to September 2021.

In May of 2021, I posted this picture to the "Utah Friends of Monarchs" Facebook group (because Facebook has groups for everything! It's very interesting and informative). I've liked monarchs, and butterflies in general, but Grayson grew up with the whole experience. He could find caterpillars on milkweed and bring a couple home, to watch them grow bigger, create their chrysalis, emerge and fly away. It's been something he's wanted to re-create with our kids, but monarchs/caterpillars have become nearly non-existent in Utah.  Neither of us had seen one for years. In 2019, I heard about a monarch release, and Gray and I went and it was awesome (My Monarch Man). 

My point in posting this picture was to say "I wish the milkweed plant stayed at this stage!" Right here, it looks like an attractive little bush. Unfortunately, it keeps on growing and growing and gets a bit out of control. It also send up tons of little shoots, so we get more milkweed popping up all throughout the flowerbed. BUT ... it's for butterflies. The HOPE that someday, we might see a monarch, maybe get an egg. 

It happened ... and it was everything we'd hoped it would be.

Monarch 2021

Coop and I had been out and about, and pulled up into the driveway when some movement by the milkweed caught my eye. It was a monarch. I squealed and jumped out of the car, pulling out my phone to catch it on camera (and Coop back in the car didn't know what was going on, "Mom, should I turn the car off?") I was so excited and immediately shared the video with Grayson. There was the small moment when she paused on the smaller off-shoot from the main plant. I looked closer ... and it was an egg! So small.

So we started our monarch observations ... about 10 days after the egg had been laid, I looked closer at the milkweed and there were tiny holes in the leaves, and little tiny black dots (poop) on the bottom of the enclosure. The caterpillar was so small, you could barely see it! Every day it would grow bigger and bigger, eating more leaves, more little black dots. After another 10 days, we knew it was time for the next steps. We made sure there were a couple of sturdy sticks, and a couple days later, the caterpillar moved into the "J" pose. After they assume this position, it isn't long before they move into the chrysalis stage.

A chrysalis is different from a cocoon (which is what moths make, spinning silk around themselves). Chrysalises are not silk. Butterflies molt into a chrysalis, which is a hard exoskeleton covering that protects the developing butterfly beneath. Grayson happened to be checking on the caterpillar after work when he called out "it's happening" ... and we got it on video. It was crazy to watch, as the skin splits and and there is so much wiggling working it off, leaving the green blob underneath, which then hardens into the cool looking chrysalis. It was just over 10 days later, when the monarch emerged. We'd noticed the chrysalis getting darker, a little transparent, but unfortunately we missed the coming out party. We looked, and there it was. A beautiful butterfly. After giving it a day to recover and gain some strength, it was time to say goodbye, as it flew off into the blue sky.

Summer 2021 will definitely be remembered for its monarch memories!

Maybe we can do it again ... our milkweed comes back every year. 

Hopefully the butterflies will too.

I kept the stick, and the chrysalis shell.

Official Timeline: 

• August 9, 2021 - Monarch flyby and egg
• August 19, 2021 - Hatch (when we noticed anyway)
• September 1, 2021 - Chrysalis
• September 12, 2021 - Butterfly
• September 13, 2021 - Release