Caterpillar Becomes Monarch Butterfly

October 4 to 19, 2018

When Grandpa and Barbara returned from their Ontario Field Ornithologists conference in September/October, they brought Sam and David a butterfly chrysalis.  Their friend Hilda had collected three caterpillars while they were on their trip. She found them in High Park, Toronto and at Wheatly Harbour. As a retired teacher she knew these would eat a lot of milkweed and then each would transition into a chrysalis and finally emerge, after a few weeks, as a beautiful monarch butterfly. To keep the caterpillars well fed, Hilda brought them along in a plastic cup on the birding trip for three days, getting them fresh milkweed along the way and keeping them cool under the car when the birders stopped to take a hike.

After the trip, she kept two caterpillars, still in the plastic cup, for her grandchildren.  She gave one to Barbara for Sam and David. Barbara had bought a carrying case at Rondeau Provincial Park. This caterpillar, “Little Hilda” had just attached itself to the roof of the case, the first step in making a chrysalis.

As soon as Grandpa and Barbara returned from their trip, they delivered “Little Hilda” to the boys in Chelsea. She was now in her chrysalis.  Sam explained that his class at school had observed a few caterpillars develop into butterflies and had released them.  He was working on a reading assignment about the metamorphosis of butterflies. He decided the safest place for Little Hilda would be on a table in their upstairs bathroom.

On October 16, the boys could see the butterfly wings forming in the chrysalis.

Hilda’s grandchildren had released their two butterflies in their garden in Toronto. Where could San and David release Little Hilda in Chelsea? It was too cold and few flowers were left for the butterflies to find the nectar they needed to have energy for their flight to Mexico. As well as nectar, butterflies like bananas, oranges and watermelon.

On October 17, the butterfly is still forming - Sam says it is a female because it does not have the 2 spots on its wings that males have.

She came out of her container on October 18 and settled on a plant to rest. On October 19 she enjoyed a fresh bouquet of flowers. As well she had a choice of fruit.  We all hope she settles in – the predicted lifespan for an indoor butterfly is just two weeks.