Caterpillar maybe turning into cocoon

[debodun]

Just noticed this little Monarch caterpillar on the front porch siding (cladding). It will be an interesting thing to keep tabs on. I have enough milkweed around (I brought seeds from my former house and sowed them). Paying dividends already!

 

[Paco Dennis]

It is one of natures ways of dazzling us with it's awesome and beautiful power.

 

[debodun]

A day later:

 

[JustDave]

Wow. Great photo sequence.

I never knew Monarchs were migratory until about 6 or 7 years ago, thanks to a old girlfriend who worked in wildlife management. Now I don't see them in the summer, but every once in a while in the fall, I will seed hundreds flying over my house, all headed south.

 

[debodun]

Today - not much change.

 

[debodun]

Ditto - no change. I read up on Monarchs and it takes 8 to 15 days to emerge from the chrysalis. Just in time to fly to Mexico to spend the winter.

 

[jimintoronto]

Wow. Great photo sequence.

I never knew Monarchs were migratory until about 6 or 7 years ago, thanks to a old girlfriend who worked in wildlife management. Now I don't see them in the summer, but every once in a while in the fall, I will seed hundreds flying over my house, all headed south.

Monarchs migrate from Ontario to Mexico each year along a traditional flight path. JIMB.

 

[PeppermintPatty]

Monarchs migrate from Ontario to Mexico each year along a traditional flight path. JIMB.

Monarch butterflies migrate from ALL of Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, not just Ontario.

 

[jimintoronto]

Monarch butterflies migrate from ALL of Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, not just Ontario.

OK. Does that include Newfoundland/Labrador ? I would have thought the weather there would be too cold for them?

 

[PeppermintPatty]

OK. Does that include Newfoundland/Labrador ? I would have thought the weather there would be too cold for them?

You bet it does. It includes all of Canada.
Newfoundland and Labrador are all one province.

Note: you are right that they don’t migrate from Labrador but Labrador is the only place in Canada they don’t migrate from.

Here’s a link that shows where monarch butterflies migrate from .

Monarch

@jimintoronto

 

[RuralKanuck]

little off topic but I had a cecropia-moth caterpillar here for several weeks since I first spotted him on our pear tree. We checked each day as we awaited for him to find a branch to spin a silk cocoon around itself, inside which it metamorphoses into a chrysalis. This apparently may be as much as 8 weeks from when he first emerges so hoped to see that but unfortunately one morning he simply was not there.
I was ready to move the chrysalis into a safe over wintering spot so I could see this huge moth emerge but it was just not to be …...
.

 

[PeppermintPatty]

Here’s a map of Canada showing where monarch butterflies live and migrate from . It doesn’t include Labrador but DOES include every province in Canada.

 

[debodun]

Today the chrysalis is all black. From what I read online, sometimes this is not a good sign.

 

[Timewise 60+]

They don't actually "turn into" a cocoon. They make the cocoon and put it around them and then they turn into a butterfly. They then fly away.

 

[debodun]

They don't actually "turn into" a cocoon. They make the cocoon and put it around them and then they turn into a butterfly. They then fly away.

 

[PeppermintPatty]

little off topic but I had a cecropia-moth caterpillar here for several weeks since I first spotted him on our pear tree. We checked each day as we awaited for him to find a branch to spin a silk cocoon around itself, inside which it metamorphoses into a chrysalis. This apparently may be as much as 8 weeks from when he first emerges so hoped to see that but unfortunately one morning he simply was not there.
I was ready to move the chrysalis into a safe over wintering spot so I could see this huge moth emerge but it was just not to be …...
.View attachment 366834

Most butterflies live for 2 to 4 weeks. Monarchs live from 2 to 6 weeks. Apparently only 10% make the migratory flight