Tuesday, 9 September 2008

Transformation

Sunday night:

A cute little fellow hanging from a leaf. We don't know how quickly he will begin to change, or how quickly the change will be completed.








Monday morning:

My Girl cleaned the frass from the cage and I decided I would de-aphid the milkweed after my visit to the dentist.








I peeked in on the caterpillar before heading out the door and saw him hanging in his J, and My Girl pointed out that he was looking a bit more wrinkled and rough than we recalled him being last night. "Today's the day," was my thought as I walked the three blocks to the dentist.

I returned home less than an hour later and found this:

In less time than it takes to have a routine checkup at the dentist, the caterpillar had shed its exoskeleton and its new one had begun to shrink and harden into a chrysalis! We were floored! It happened so quickly and none of us had seen it!

Maybe when caterpillar #2 is ready we'll be there to watch. Sure hope so.

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