Yesterday afternoon, our fattest Monarch caterpillar became sluggish and lethargic. It crawled up to the roof of the net cage I’d put it in and suspended itself by a bit of silken thread. All day it hung there, sometimes stretched out lengthwise, head down, other times curled into a C shape. Overnight, the caterpillar transformed into a lovely green and gold chrysalis (the word comes from the Greek Χρύση, for gold), leaving a little wrinkled up pile of its elastic skin on the bottom of the cage. Our other two caterpillars ain’t far behind, and should be pupating soon. Right now they’re still focused on their “primary action item,” eating. We now have three chrysalises in our home — one Monarch and two Anise Swallowtails.
Our largest caterpillar curled up at the top of its little cage.
It spent most of the day motionless in this position.
Sometimes it curled a little tighter, other times it relaxed. It had fastened itself to the roof with a bit of strong silk.
Overnight, the caterpillar transformed into a lovely green and gold chrysalis.
The other two are still busy eating, eating, eating. They are four or five times larger than a week ago.
Eating, eating, eating.
Steven E. F. Brown 