Thursday, April 26, 2012

Caterpillar to Butterfly

BY SKEETER
A few weeks ago, I spotted many of these beautiful caterpillars in my Georgia Gardens.
I have never really noticed these caterpillars before but they seem to be every where. On the front porch, in the driveway and in the gardens. As if they had fallen out of the trees. Which I think they did as we had high winds the night before.
I snapped a picture of the one on the front porch and a few days later, discovered this in the spot where the caterpillar once stood. Hum, After a bit of research on the Internet, I think I might have had a Mourning Cloak Caterpillar and now a Chrysalis!
I found the Chrysalis to be interesting with its spiny cover.
I kept my eye on the Chrysalis and low and behold, I saw the butterfly resting by the shell! If only I had been lucky enough to see the butterfly emerge. Oh well, can't have it all...
I carefully placed the butterfly in a container for safe keeping over night. It was listless as if dead and I was sad. Upon further investigation, it was moving a slight bit as if not completely ready to take off. The following morning, I warmed it up with the Desk Light and it rewarded me with open wings! A few snapped pictures and I carefully took the open container into the gardens. The beautiful butterfly fluttered off high into the trees from the warmth of the sun shining on its beautiful colored body. I smiled like a proud mama watching her baby leave the nest! It was a thrilling moment for me. This was the first time I have ever seen a CATERPILLAR TO BUTTERFLY, In the Garden...  
Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

20 comments:

  1. Amazing!! Amazing photos too! This is a caterpillar I am not familiar with so am going to Google it to learn more. It's a beauty and it's so nice you got to see this process!

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    1. I dont recall ever seeing one before either Tina. I had a site to link but Blogger changed the format and I feared I would loose something if I tried to link. Change is not my strong suit. LOL.... It was a fun moment to witness this transformation....

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  2. Hi Skeeter,
    What fun! This is refreshing, after a local news story showing a woman killing moths, and talking about how hard they are to kill. Sometimes it takes several swats with her fly swatter. It showed her many hanging sticky baits. I'm wondering how many were there just because of the baits. I would not want moths in my house, but I would take other measures than that!

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    1. Oh no dont kill the moths! We always catch them and let them outside to live their life to the fullest! I have a little butterfly net that hangs in the utility room ready and set for moth or anything else catching.... Now flys and mosquitoes are another story....

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  3. Beautiful photos!! Loved the butterfly was fine and flew away in the sun!!

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    1. It was a special moment for me to see the butterfly flutter off into the sky. I gained a new respect for caterpillars after this lesson....

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  4. Great series, wonderful life cycle pictures and nice to see the delicate creature flutter away.

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    1. It was wonderful to be able to witness such a neat life cycle and in the wild verses on a TV program. LOL... I love the nature in our gardens....

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  5. I just noticed you have big pics! They look awesome! I don't like the new blogger changes either. It drives me nuts!

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    1. Tina, On the new changes, I found where I could make them larger! I am sure the changes will be better in the long run but for now, I shall have to really pay attention to what I am doing....

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  6. So glad you got to see this, Skeeter. It is beautiful.

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  7. Skeeter,
    Amazing find Skeeter, I have only seen tiny clusters of Morning Cloak cats, never older ones like yours. Great photo of the open winged adult.

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    1. This was my first sighting of the caterpillars also. They caught my eye with so many of them being here and there throughout the yard. Most of them were dead and I could not help but wonder what had happen the them. Maybe a cold snap got them but assume the wind knocked the from the host trees.

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  8. How awesome Skeeter. When the twins were young they would bring a caterpillar in the house in a jar and watch it till it was a butterfly and then let it go. If I go back far enought I also think my kids may have done it. Also some of them had done it in school. Your butterfly sure is a pretty one!!

    I can't figure out how to get the comments to go to gmail with this latest change. I HATE, HATE, HATE CHANGE.

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    1. They made me sign in before my last comment and then the email thing poped up.

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    2. I am not fond of change either Jean. Drives me nuts....

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  9. How thrilling! I always wished I could do this with the kids, a couple of attempts ended up being moths!

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    1. Moths are pretty too Dawn! Just a plan kind of pretty...

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  10. Replies
    1. Sharing is a good quality my parents taught me many years ago. :-)

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