At the time Peg was due to return home to Monatana she still had nine chrysalis's yet to eclose, so brought them to me to foster until the day they would fly off to their butterfly lives.
Peg had numbered the chrysalis's in accordance with the butterflies she had released during the season in Paihia - 165, 167-170, 172-174.
Our weather has recently turned for the worse as we come into Winter and everything has slowed down a little. Despite being nick-named "the winterless north" our area does become very cold and wet during Winter.
During our warm Summers a Monarch will remain in its chrysalis for about 10 days. As our temperatures cool the chrysalis days stretch out, taking the butterflies longer and longer to eclose.
This happened in the case of Peg's Butterflies. The first six were in the chrysalis for 15-18 days, the next two were in the chrysalis for 20 days and the final one was in the chrysalis for 21 days.
The length of days played no part in how the butterflies emerged from their chrysalis's - all did it well and all were perfect.
These photos show their first flights - click on each pic to see a larger view and description of the butterfly............