New life
I just witnessed something rather amazing: the emergence of a monarch butterfly from its chrysalis. Several days ago, I noticed a murky bluish thing hanging from my front door frame, and, although it took me a minute to place it, I knew it was something I recognized--not from ever having seen it in real life, though. I have seen the lifecycle of a butterfly in many science textbooks, and have probably seen a real chrysalis at butterfly farm I once went to, but I don't have any vivid recollections. This was on my front door! I've been watching it closely hoping against hope that I would get to see it emerge. This morning when I went out to sit on my front porch with baby, I noticed that it looked different. It was darker, and my first thought was that the chrysalis was empty and that I had missed the show. When I looked closer, I realized that I could see the patterns of a wing pressed up against the inside of the chrysalis. I raced to get my camera, only to be frustrated by the settings that somehow would not allow me take any pictures at all (Believe me, if I knew where my little point and shoot was, I would have gotten it. I have got to learn how to use this camera!). I played with it for several minutes, but by the time I got it to work, the butterfly was already emerging. I did, however, get several good shots of it just after coming out, when the wings were still partially folded, and as it hung in the air to dry. Did you know that butterflies actually drip liquid as they dry? I didn't!
I find butterflies to be breathtakingly beautiful anyway; when I was in Ecuador people made fun of me for taking so many pictures of them. I always notice them, and this summer, in fact, I've remarked several times that I have seen a lot more butterflies than usual (so far no one else has concurred). To finally seen this part of the lifecycle up close was pretty much amazing. Even Maia thought it was cool. The orange and black contrast held her attention for the space of several minutes :)
Here are a couple pictures:
I find butterflies to be breathtakingly beautiful anyway; when I was in Ecuador people made fun of me for taking so many pictures of them. I always notice them, and this summer, in fact, I've remarked several times that I have seen a lot more butterflies than usual (so far no one else has concurred). To finally seen this part of the lifecycle up close was pretty much amazing. Even Maia thought it was cool. The orange and black contrast held her attention for the space of several minutes :)
Here are a couple pictures: