The one that got away

[MonarchLake1975]

Hi! I'm new here and wanted to share my monarch story. When I was about 9 or 10, my mother had found a monarch catepillar and put it in a jar with all kinds of stuff in there for it. She didn't know much about catepillars and I don't think she really even knew what kind it was. Well, she watched it all winter and a couple of times thought about throwing it out. She said it didn't look like it was doing anything. Well, one day in the spring when she was at work, my older sister called to tell her it had hatched and was ready to be let loose. Upon hearing this conversation, I immediately went to the butterfly's rescue and let it go before she had a chance to see it.

Fastfoward to my mother's 75th birthday in May this year (I'm now 42). As sort of a gag gift, I bought her a butterfly house at a local toy store and explained how she could mail off for painted lady catepillars. She looked at me and said, "I know why you did this." And gave me a big hug. She ordered some cats and said she had the best time watching them.

Ive been praying a VERY long time to find another catepillar in the wild and my husband found one last week. I intend to make sure "Marty" is doing okay, and then give him to my mother to watch so that she can see for herself the beauty in these magnificant butterflies that I denied her so many years ago.

Holly C.
Illinois

[Mona Miller]

I didn't think Monarchs wintered over as chrysalis. Was it in a cold area where it was left? Maybe that would account for it taking so long to emerge. Usually, swallowtails and some other butterflies winter over as chrysalis.

http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/map?ds=14&_dcs=1
USGS, butterflies and moths of north america (Illinois webpage). You can put your county in the drop down list and get a more specific lists.

http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/spec ... 7*Illinois
This is the Monarch butterfly.

A very nice story. I guess you just wanted to let it go free. They usually are struggling until you let them out. I think I understand.