Metamorphosis

This little guy (fat guy really) had been hanging around the liriope grass for a few days now. I thought he was lost, trying to find more milkweed, since his gang has left only the stalks. But when I saw him this afternoon I should have known something was up, and taken a seat and watched.

At noon...

and at 5pm...

Inside the chrysalis he's turning to mush, literally. You'd think a woman of my age would have known this before this year, but I recently learned that the caterpillar actually digests itself and completely reassembles as a butterfly. I had never given much thought as to what happens in there, but nevertheless was awed by that notion.

So the garden tour will include checking the pupae each day. I think it will change colors, and we'll have a butterfly in about two weeks. Updates to come!