Monarch Butterfly in Chrysalis nature
Monarch butterfly inside chrysalis ready to emerge soon...
Monarch butterfly inside chrysalis ready to emerge soon...
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Jan, 2021Views
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![Two male black-veined white butterflies [Aporia crataegi] roosting on a Carthusian pink. by HenrikSpranz](https://cdnpt01.viewbug.com/media/mediafiles/2024/01/17/102725792_widepreview400.webp)
Behind The Lens
Location
The photo was taken at home in my living room . I was butterfly, chrysalis, caterpillar sitting for a neighbor as she was on Christmas vacation. She does monarch butterfly rescue all year long if they are present. I have done the black swallowtail so it was awesome to do the monarch. The fascination of the metamorphosis four stages of the butterfly are majestic to watch, yet patience is a requirement as they are in no hurry. lol The monarch is close to endangered species. Here is a website for basics... https://ansp.org/exhibits/online-exhibits/butterflies/lifecycle/#:~:text=The%20butterfly%20and%20moth%20develop,two%20common%20types%20of%20metamorphosis.&text=There%20are%20four%20stages%20in,larva%2C%20pupa%2C%20and%20adult.Time
I took photos of the many chrysalis and butterflies, caterpillars all throughout the day with thought to capture most I could on this beautiful process of nature.Lighting
Lighting in the room of this photo is not bright. A Christmas tree was lit fully in white behind the subjects. They were all in a black screen/net house that zipped down side so I could get the camera in and I did use a flash on some photos to capture the process. The chrysalis as this is, turns to a black color on the outside when in fact using the macro and flash, you can see inside better than with the naked eye and thus capture the butterfly prior to hatching. Once they get to this stage, hatching is very soon, usually within the hour and very rapid. I had to go in other room for several minutes and when I came out, she had hatched and I only captured another photo of her hanging upsidedown to dry her wings with leg still in open chrysalis and oil fluids in tiny bubbles as the oil is part of the nutrients for the wings which have to dry.Equipment
I used a point and shoot Cannon camera set on macro, handheld tripod attached and flash.Inspiration
As stated prior, the monarch butterfly is near endangered list. My neighbor and I do monarch rescue as the caterpillars present. Status of a monarch butterfly is about 300 - 600 eggs are laid on milkweed, which is the host plant of the monarch. Out of the hundreds of eggs laid, possibly one butterfly will fulfill the full process to emerge into another monarch butterfly. Lizards, bugs, etc enjoy the food chain of the others that do not make it. By doing what is called the "rescue", we are helping to repopulate the monarch. When they become caterpillars, we put them into the lightweight, screenhouse cage and provide milkweed for their feast. When they've had enough, they climb to the top of the cage and the chrysalis takes place after they jhook their caterpillar body. In about 7 to 10 days, the emerge as the beautiful monarch butterfly and after drying their wings for about 24 hours, and during that time fresh flowers and mixed sugarwater is provided for them to eat which is very necessary to happen, then they can be released if temperature outside is over 59 degrees and not raining. Stats doing this rescue we have had about 14 out of 16 butterflies successfully go through the process for release, one caterpillar died and one butterfly we knew had a defect in the chrysalis, hatched disabled as the wings remained curled partially and one wing was broken yet so beautiful. I kept it as a pet and it lived about four weeks. It was kept on fresh flowers, had sugar water and fresh fruit as it survived. We named her Ms. Crumples and loved her until she expired. My neighbor has done this process and the butterflies return to her to the fourth generation. I love how macro allows us to see things that with our naked eye we would not be able to see otherwise...Editing
Yes. I did post processing to this photo by adding a background on an edit program that I treated myself to for my Christmas gift.. I may have lightly added a bit of contrast to the photo itself as it was touch to not lose other parts of the photo like the tiny bubbling of the chrysalis... I try to keep all nature shots in the naturals state of the photos....In my camera bag
I normally carry my camera on a wrist strap wherever I go. At times extra batteries. Sometimes I will use the small handheld tripod to steady the photo and if I do not have that with me, I will use something else as the tripod to steady the shot.Feedback
Have patience, let nature be nature and ENJOY what you are out to capture. When your heart is in what you are doing, it just seems to become part of you in the photo... Thank you ViewBug for this award and opportunity to share.
