It had been about eight days since two monarch caterpillars had attached to the geranium in a pot on our front porch and formed chrysalises. I checked them first thing every morning, and Monday, in the dim predawn light, one of them had changed from its lima bean green to black as my cell phone. Little by little, the unique black and orange wing pattern became visible through the translucent case.
By mid-morning, a new female butterfly was suspended on an empty chrysalis, her wings not fully extended.
She climbed on uncertain legs to a nearby stem, where she hung to dry.
A couple of hours later, she was ready. She climbed to the top of a leaf, pumped her wings, and flew off, high above the trees.
That day, there was a bonus.
All week, I had searched the geranium in vain for other chrysalises, but there, hanging out to dry, was another new butterfly.
She perched on a blossom brighter than a stoplight in the city.
The sisters are headed for Mexico, and we hope they'll be back next spring.
We'll keep the light on for them.
