The chrysalis I mentioned last time did not eclose. I finally had taken it out and where the chrysalis had started cracking, I pulled it out just a bit, and as I did, I realized the entire thing felt like it could be crushed to dust in any minute between the fingers I was pressing as lightly as I could through a paper towel I had used to take it out of the keeper. It simply had dehydrated.
This did make me think on when I’d read that tanks as keepers can be warmer because they have less air circulation. Yet though it’s been warmer of late, the in room temperature never went above 84°F, and wasn’t that high for long the last few days. We haven’t had as much rain outside, which may have affected our humidity indoors. I’m not really sure. The keeper isn’t in direct sun either, and for the short time I spent examining the chrysalis, I saw no noticeable sign of parasite nor disease.
I had briefly wondered if there was a way to preserve the chrysalis in a bug in amber sort of thing with modern clear plastics (I know a bit about molding and casting), but ultimately decided it would just be sad to look upon later, and finally discarded both the idea and it.
RIP, little one. I’m sorry you didn’t get a chance to fly in this world.
The other three chrysalis seem fine so far. All are safely hardened, so I cleaned out the milkweed containers yesterday I think it was.
I never did make it back to that one milkweed plant that I spotted an egg on. I did notice yesterday while walking home from errands that the sporadic milkweed dotted on a neighbor’s lawn was growing like crazy again, nearing a foot tall. It had all been mowed down last week when they mowed their lawn.
I have not seen any monarch butterflies of late, but I haven’t been at my desk much either. I don’t know if there will be any more eggs to be found by me this year or not.
Current count:
- Butterflies: 5 females, 3 males
- Chrysalis: 3 in keeper
- Caterpillars: 0
- Eggs: 0
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