We've got 3 monarchs close to eclosure...it's our first time and I hate to miss them. Do they ever eclose at night?
Do monarchs ever eclose at night?
g, out of the 200+ I've raised, none have opened at night.
They will probably open around 8am, usually when I turn the light on in the garage. It seems to depend on the light.
How exciting! I remember my first ones, I was so nervous and excited!
I just had a BST open about 5pm today and I thought that was weird, but I'm new to raising them.
I've got 4 BST cats in our bfly house. They are losing their spikes and getting FAT!! I'm very nervous about the monarchs. But really excited...I just hope everything goes well. I think it would break my heart if the wings didn't try properly or the probiscus didn't fuse. I want ALL my babies to live!!
G, did they eclose yet?
Not yet but this morning there is not a spot of green left. They are completely black and transparent. It's just a matter of which of the 3 will go first. 2 are outside, one is inside. I keep going back and forth, afraid I'm going to miss one. I have a bible study at 10:30 and I really do NOT want to leave!! =)
Any minute now then! Keep us posted!
It's a girl!! Our first one is hanging and drying her wings. She's let go of two little puddles of meconium. Unfortunately it's raining here so I cut some stems from the bfly bush and put them in a vase under the shed where she is. We're still waiting on the other 2. Exciting stuff!! I'll send pics in a bit. The camera is still outside waiting for number two!
Yay, congratulations!
she was moving a lot earlier, drying her wings and such. Now she's just hanging very very still. Maybe we're spooking her with all our gawking.
Mine do that too, they seem to need to rest after they eclose. At least your gawking will keep away predators, she's so vulnerable right now.
She's in a great shelter so she's pretty safe right now. Birds don't go under that shed usually. The sun is trying to come out too which is great.
Update: #1 has flown away. #2 is out and still drying and #3 (indoors) just made her appearance. I looked for #1 everywhere, hoping she'd stay in the garden to eat but I can't find her. Maybe she'll be back. What a day!! =)
What a great day!
#2 is now gone too. I can't imagine them flying out into this rain but I guess they had to go sometime. I was hoping they would get the nectar from the butterfly bush stems I left for them but they must have been ready to stretch their wings.
Yes, it seems they have places to go, people to see. lol
It's bittersweet when they leave isn't it? On the one hand I hate to see them go and wish they would stay close so I could keep an eye on them. On the other hand they need to be independant.
We watched the last one until she flew away. It took a long, long time. But it was pretty comical...we're just waiting and waiting and when she goes, she flies straight up and over the roof of the house in seconds...directly AWAY from a smorgasboard of nectar delicacies that were right in front of her. But it was beautiful and sad and amazing to watch her go. Bittersweet is exactly the right word. They all took 4 hours from eclose to flight today.
Did you make a wish when they fly off? The Native Americans believe the butterfly will take your wish up to the Great Spirit and he will take it to his sky lodge for granting.
My DH said he wished that he could see them fly longer next time!
Congrats, greenie on your new butterflies! You may see them come visit your yard over the next week or so! :-)
I hope so...I know it's so silly but I will be watching out for them all summer. =)
greenie - Silly???? Not at all! That what all of here on this forum live for!!! LOL! :-) :-) Keep your eyes peeled in your yard! You will see them and many others I am sure!
g, that's not silly...silly is buying tomato plants just for the hornworms. Okay, that may be a tad beyond silly LOL
But, they are just so dang cute..those little horns that everyone knows are not really horns.