Monarch cat help!

Hi all,

I planted about 80 milkweed this spring and watched teeny tiny monarch cats eat them to the ground. We then had a ton of storms and weird weather and I was afraid they were all gone. So imagine my surprise to find a very fat cat upside down on my plumbago yesterday. Not sure why he was there since it's nowhere near milkweed. My guess is that it's because it's close to the deck where the birds won't go. ANYWAY, this morning he looked like he was trying to make his 'J'. I've never raised them before but wanted to try this year. My DH cut out the styrofoam from a bait bucket and also cut the middle out of the lid and replaced the holes with screen. I cut the long branch he was on, along with a long piece of bamboo rod and put it in there with him. I'm assuming since he's hanging in a 'J' that he's no longer interested in eating. Do I need to put anything else in there with him? What can I expect next? How long does the pupation process take before they try to emerge? I'll be broken hearted if he dies so I want all the advice I can get!! I'm SO EXCITED!! =)

Yay Greenie!
He won't be eating anymore, not until he emerges as a butterfly. Sometimes they 'J' for a few hours to a day. When he pupates, he will start wiggling and you will see the chrysalis forming, starting from the bottom. He will shed his skin one last time and it will be this little black wad (with antennae) at the top of the chrysalis. Then, in a bout 7 - 10 days, he will gradually turn dark and you will be able to see the orange and black wings. When he gets very dark, it will be soon that he will eclose. He will break out of the chrysalis and hang to let his wings unfold and dry. I ususally let them stay in the cage for several hours to a day. It depends on them. sometimes they are flying around the cage, anxious to be on their way, others seem to want to rest a full day and I'll release the next day. don't worry about feeding them, they have stored fat that's good for at least a day. If you keep them longer you will need to feed them sugar water of Gatorade.

Congrats! It's so exciting...I never tired of seeing them go through the whole process.

Aw greenie, He is so cute! And very photogenic!

Good Luck!

Suzy