Monarch chrysalides after the rain

As you may remember from posts last month, fourteen monarch caterpillars grew big and plump after devouring leaves on our narrow milkweed plants.

Gradually they disappeared, looking for places to pupate.

I first discovered four who were in "j" stage, then chrysalides the next day.

The other three I found in the same area of the backyard, near the milkweed pots, already as chrysalides. They attached themselves, through their resilient silk pads, onto the side of one our garden sheds, from under the roof overhang, and from under the rims of flowerpots.

Two of the chrysalides don't look good because they each have a considerable crack in them. One has the crack right in front, lengthwise. The other chrysalis has a crack at the top.

I can't imagine that the monarch butterflies that emerge from these two chrysalides will be healthy, if they even make it to eclose stage.

That is very sad.

The chrysalides pictured here look very healthy.

The one in the top photo is hanging from under the rim of a flowerpot.

The second one is on the side of one of our garden sheds, facing the back wall of our house.

It is about four feet high from the ground.

The third one is under the roof overhang of the house, well protected from the elements.

Although I love the rain we have had off and on over the past week, I just hope the silk pads of the chrysalides are strong enough to withstand the water.

And I hope these lovely creatures, after all the thousands of years of evolution, know when the time, weather, and temperature is right to prepare to eclose.