Yep. It’s that time again. March and April are when the first generation Monarch butterflies lay eggs on milkweed. About 4 days later they begin to hatch and the tiny caterpillars start munching on the milkweed. Two weeks after that, they find a nice place to attach themselves too, and begin the transformation into a chrysalis.

For the next 10 days an amazing metamorphosis is taking place within the chrysalis. On the outside, it doesn’t look like much. But soon the butterfly emerges to live a short life of anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks. Feeding on flowers seemingly without a care in the world until it lays eggs and the next generation is born in May/June starting the cycle again. The third generation is July/August and the forth generation is September/October. However, the forth generation plays out a bit different as this is the only generation that lives almost 6 months until that new first generation is started again. So unlike every generation before which only lasts 2-6 weeks, the forth won the lottery.

Bees

So mother nature has once again insured that the beautiful Monarch’s cycle keeps it going for an entire year. Never becoming over populated as well.

I think I was a butterfly in a former life.