This week’s butterflies

Seen this week…

This is an older picture — from back in June, but now identified.

This is from a few weeks ago. How does a butterfly so torn up continue to fly?

Our own monarch caterpillars are continuing to fare well, eating and sleeping and growing. We measure them each day when we change the milkweed, and we’re amazed at their rate of growth. Caractacus the mystery caterpillar went into the chrysalis on Thursday afternoon, and by Friday monarch-like wings were already evident through the translucent chrysalis.

Wouldn’t it be nice to transform that quickly?

There are all kinds of beautiful butterflies out there, but when a monarch flies through the field it’s always a thrill — a little sheet of flame careening across the bright meadow. In a few days, hopefully we’ll be releasing one to the winds.