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Gail Miller | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle

To the best of my ability, I tried to capture the life cycle of the Monarch Butterfly. I am missing a few stages, which I hope to fill in next year. I thought about this project a bit too late.
Female Monarch
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Female Monarch

A male Monarch.  Note the two black spots on the lower wings, close to the butterfly's body, which identify this as a male.
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A male Monarch. Note the two black spots on the lower wings, close to the butterfly's body, which identify this as a male.

Laying an egg??
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Laying an egg??

The tiny egg
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The tiny egg

The tiny egg.
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The tiny egg.

The caterpillar.
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The caterpillar.

Caterpillar on the right is freshly molted Monarch and that is the old skin.
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Caterpillar on the right is freshly molted Monarch and that is the old skin.

Several caterpillars eating Butterfly Weed (a milkweed plant)
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Several caterpillars eating Butterfly Weed (a milkweed plant)

Caterpillars attach themselves to the top of my container top and turn into chrysalis.
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Caterpillars attach themselves to the top of my container top and turn into chrysalis.

Upclose shot of 4 chrysalis, one of which has turned dark and near time to emerge.
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Upclose shot of 4 chrysalis, one of which has turned dark and near time to emerge.

Up close shot of a chrysalis, near time to emerge.
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Up close shot of a chrysalis, near time to emerge.

The chrysalis on the right has begun to split and emergence is in process.
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The chrysalis on the right has begun to split and emergence is in process.

Emerging
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Emerging

Emerging more...
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Emerging more...

Emerged and in need of drying out.
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Emerged and in need of drying out.

Freshly emerged.
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Freshly emerged.

Several Monarchs emerged from their chrysalis.
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Several Monarchs emerged from their chrysalis.

A new Monarch drying out.
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A new Monarch drying out.

This Monarch chrysalis, I found attached to a salvia plant.  The Monarch has emerged and is in the drying phase.
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This Monarch chrysalis, I found attached to a salvia plant. The Monarch has emerged and is in the drying phase.

A 'new' Monarch
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A 'new' Monarch

Another 'new' Monarch.
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Another 'new' Monarch.