This morning a male (two spots on lower wing) monarch butterfly emerged successfully in our butterfly house.
In southern Florida the monarch butterfly can go through as many as six broods.
The flight of the monarch is unique to its kind as it flaps its wings vigorously before gliding. This male worked its wings doing this exact motion before landing on a tree nearby.
On Tuesday our cloudless sulphur caterpillar was roaming around the butterfly house in search of the ideal space for its chrysalis.
It’s interesting how dark the coloring was before it began the next stage.
From early this morning until mid afternoon it finished the process.
This sulphur hangs vertically from a silk pad, as well as being suspended from the silk girdle.
Did you know the cloudless sulphur is called “cloudless” because the male is pure yellow without any markings on the top of its wings? This species is very popular in our area, as females migrate south through Florida to the southern counties of the state.
Check out my cloudless sulphur page: https://bit.ly/3OAeHXa
This afternoon we had number 17 polydamas swallowtail emerge in our butterfly house. It was super eager to be let go . . . did not hang around for a photograph on my finger as many other species do. Their wings flutter so fast, giving me quite a challenge to capture its beauty.
I love the photograph below, as another polydamas chrysalis is in the background. They are easiest to photograph, at least through my experience, shortly after they hatch.
With many other species the female is larger in size. The wingspan for this species is 9.2 to 11.6 centimeters. The coloration is very different from the underside of the wings, as shown below, to that of when the wings are completely open. The black and yellow is very pretty, as well as the splash of red on the underside.
Both of the eastern black swallowtail chrysalis changed from green yesterday to brown today. Super interesting. Now they are better camouflaged against the wood of the butterfly house.
I now have two eastern black swallowtail chrysalis. I am kind of surprised they are green, rather than brown. Fingers crossed the butterfly emerges in about nine to 18 days.
To see the stages of the caterpillar, check out my page: https://bit.ly/3Qv73PM
