Our J turned into a chrysalis this morning in the butterfly house. It never gets old, watching a monarch caterpillar transform into a chrysalis. Here is a photo series of the final stages of the transformation.

When the caterpillar is ready, the skin splits behind its head, as it moves its body to shed its old skin. When the last of the skin slips off at the silk mat, the caterpillar has finished its chrysalis. In about 10 to 12 days, the butterfly will emerge.