[TXBatman]

Well, we got the earliest snow in Houston history today. At one point we had about 2" accumulated on the lawn and the cars. But we also still had monarch caterpillars on our milkweed outside and about a dozen chrysalises hanging from the walls and eaves of the house. They can't survive through a freeze, so what were we to do?





We brought them into the guest bathroom, pinned the chrysalises to the bare milkweed branches, and kept them warm while it snowed outside. The 14 chrysalises and 5 caterpillars look like little Christmas ornaments hanging from the trees. Our cat even tried to bring us a dead rat as a present to put under the tree while we were outside taking them down from the walls and eaves. She is such a thoughtful and generous little critter...

We already had one monarch hatch and are expecting 2-3 more in the next day or so before it gets warm enough to put them back outside.

[Riverwild]

Thank you for brightening my day with your care and concern for the Monarchs!

You and your wife are my heroes!

[karousel]

That was a wonderful thing to do! How cool one already hatched.

[Koala77]

How sweet.

I have no idea what these caterpillars will evolve into, but knowing that you helped with the surival of their species is really nice. Thank you for sharing.

[TXBatman]

This is what they become:



They are famous for their annual migrations from Mexico all the way to the northern US and southern Canada and back. It takes several generations of the butterfly's life cycle to get from Mexico to Canada, and another 3-4 generations to get back to Mexico.

By helping make sure more butterflies make it south each winter, we also make sure that there will be more to start the migration north next spring. They lay their eggs on the milkweed plant, and the caterpillars consume the leaves, which makes them taste bad to birds and other predators. That is why the plants in the bathroom have very few leaves...the caterpillars have eaten them all.

Other butterflies and moths will also mimic the pattern of the Monarch to confuse predators.

[Koala77]

They're beautiful, thank you!

[braingonebad]

They are THE most recognisable butterfly in the states - I think everyone here knows what they are and admires them. I know every gardener here brags when they hit their flowers.



Thank you for helping them out! It has become quite popular to plant butterfly gardens (even if that means milkweeds taking over and getting eaten to the ground, lol). But not too many people hand over the bathroom to them.

Good job!

[SallyC]

How are the Monarchs? Did they make it?

[TXBatman]

Lets see...we had one hatch during the snow...he was released two days later when it was sunny and about 60 out. He flew straight up and away and just kept going. We had two more hatch Monday morning and my wife released them Wednesday morning when it was sunny again.

We have had 3 more hatch in the last day and a half...one is still filling out its wings and drying them as we speak. They will probably have to wait until Sunday to be released when it is warm and sunny again.

We have had 4 more caterpillars make chrysalises and we still have 2-3 more still eating. We have 2-3 more that should hatch in the next day or so, so we will probably be releasing 5-6 on Sunday. I will try to post some pictures tomorrow if I get a chance.