Escape and Recapture

Last night I was checking on the larvae and noted that there was one missing. I carefully looked through the leaf remnants and couldn't find it. I had no idea what could have happened to it as escaping from its jar was highly unlikely. I looked for a trail of poop but didn't see anything. It was upsetting because it meant there would only be a total of 9 this year if they all reach adulthood.

This afternoon I was chatting with Skip and looked down on the kitchen floor and there it was!! Several feet from its original spot. I quickly got it onto a piece of paper and back in its jar with a fresh milkweed leaf. It's a miracle neither of us had stepped on it. Then I noticed the chubbiest one was on the outside of its jar. Yikes! Time to put them together in the larger container.

I hauled out the ice cube container and fashioned a covering out of some mesh screening that we still had from a long-discarded gazebo.

Now my challenge will be to clean out the poop regularly and keep them supplied with fresh milkweed. The first one will likely pupate in about a week.

The pupae are  'hanging in there' and I expect the first adult to emerge this weekend. I do get some notice as the chrysalis turns dark first - about a day before emergence, then clear and the colouring of the adult monarch can be seen through the casing.

I have been hit hard by a bad cold - my second this summer - after not having one in years. I think I have turned the corner and  feel much better although not 100% yet. I was so sick I didn't do any knitting two days ago and only a little bit last night before I conked out for my 13 hour sleep. I am so grateful to not have to get up and go to work feeling this crappy like I used to have to do when I was teaching and having to prepare lessons for the substitute teacher.

Food tastes really bland so Mo and I are going for Mexican food before our weekly sit and knit tonight. I do believe an adult beverage will be in order. ¡Salud!