We were surprised and delighted when our butterfly emerged today. (Can you see my daughter in the background smiling?) She's actually a day early! (I know it's female because of her markings - males are more orange and have spots along the veins in their wings) This is such an amazing thing to watch and we do it every year. It never gets old.The caterpillar's are in their pupa for almost exactly 14 days and when they emerge their wings are folded up and their abdomens are fat. This is because they have to pump the blood from their stomachs into their wings before they are ready to fly.
After they are filed out they flap them for a while so they can dry out and become stronger. Our butterfly only took a few hours from hatching before she was ready to take off. She flew away before I could get any pictures of her with my kids! So today she began her 2 month journey to Mexico ( traveling 50-80 miles a day!) and in the Spring she will return to New England and lay her eggs before she dies. And next fall her offspring will continue the cycle.
Amazing, isn't it?
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