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- Monarch just before pupating
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- Crysalis formed overnight
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- Pink Crape Myrtle hanging on
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- Wandering Jew on tree trunk with moss
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- Turtle Bubbles in pond
”Chrysalis
Note: Click pictures to enlarge.
A short walk outside my front door caught these wonders. The Monarch caterpillars are larger than ever since we got a broad leaf milkweed. They obviously still love the old kind because they stripped it first, but seem to get fatter than usual before finally tucking their necks (do they have necks?) and forming a chubby “J” right beneath the leaf they have been eating on. Seems that was as far as they could waddle. The next morning we have a bright green crysalis, and in another day the gold crown and buttons at the bottom begin to shine in the sun. I’ll try to catch the coming out party in about seven to ten days. If Hurricane Hanna comes this way, we’ll snap that leaf off and bring it inside. We did that once before and woke to a butterfly in the office.
The other shots are just flowers still decorating the yard and the surface of our glassy pond, teeming with life. Though it goes dry at times, rain brings fish and other aquatic life back into this area and restocks the pond for us over and over.
Before our house was built, the neighborhood kids called the property Frog Bog. We’ve tried to keep it friendly to the frogs and any critters who like to take up residence. It’s easy to make your property welcoming for them. Check out my link to Backyard Wildlife Habitat and get started.
A N H I N G A 
The Crape Myrtle is very lovely and something we do not have in these parts except occasionally as a houseplant or as small trees in greenhouses. The crysalis brings back memories of my childhood. I was always so fascinated with caterpillars, cocoons, and the emergence of the butterflies. Thanks for the great post and the link to Backyard Wilflife Habitat. Every little bit of help we can give to mother nature is truly priceless.
Great captures. It’s always interesting to me to see other people’s photographs. The things that catch a person’s eye, and their particular point of view are as distinctive as personalities.
Thank you so much, I really enjoyed this post.