I saw it before my eyes!!

[ORANGEMUSTANG]

I always wondered how the caterpillar actually went from the J formation to a chrysalis. I wasn't sure if it formed on the outside of the cat or what. Well, today I actually saw it happen. It's skin began to split and shed off. It wiggled and wiggled until it split all the way. i missed the last moment though. (thanks to my curious 2 year old) Does it eat the shed skin or did it just fall to the ground? I could find it.
Any links or knowledge would be helpful.

[Farfalla]

It is so amazing isn't it!!??
The caterpillars face mask drops to the ground. ( It kinda looks more like his whole head! It looks amazing under a microscope or magnifyer))
After a while the chrysalis will harden and become the most beautiful jade color punctuated with little gold dots!

There is a really nice book that would be helpful to you as well as has some really cute activities and songs your little two year old would enjoy. (There is a great poem called the "wiggle jiggle dance" that describes the process of changing into a chrysalis)
It's called Monarch Magic.It has a website ,too. http://www.monarchbutterflyusa.com/Magic.htm

[MILW]

I finally managed to watch one do the whole dance too, and learned something new. I'd always assumed that the cremaster, the black stalk that they hang by, is always remaining attached to the silk from the beginning of the J stage. But I saw with my own eyes, the cremaster came out from inside the skin of the caterpillar, and he was jabbing it around frantically until it hooked back into the silk pad. At that moment, the shed skin fell down. I picked up the skin and stretched it back out to about half of what the caterpillar size was- I think the shed skins dry quickly and get broken easily after being shed.

cheers- Scott

[Gwynne]

It is amazing to watch. But you have to be quick. Turn your back for two minutes and they are finished!

[ORANGEMUSTANG]

thanks for the link. I ordered a book off amazon.com
I can't wait to get it.