I don't think I've ever had a monarch chrysalis take that long....70's is by no means COLD weather so I doubt that is an issue.

It wouldn't hurt to wait another week and see what happens. even if it's not viable, I would think it would do something...ie turn black. I hope you have a surprise happy ending, Tony

I just had one eclose after considerably more than 3 weeks. I thought they were all gone, but there it was, hanging from the brown paper bag taped to the porch drying its wings.

Martha

Funny I've never had one more than two weeks but after reading Martha's post, I guess wait and see!

I was amazed myself. I finished up with Monarchs, and had put all of my little chrysalis-covered patches of brown paper bag out on the porch, since most of them were starting to turn dark. Then I proceeded to raise a batch of BST cats to over winter. Once they were outside I thought I was done, but there was this Monarch on Saturday afternoon. We had had a few weeks of nights in the 40s and highs in the 60s. Then it warmed up into the low 80s. Maybe they can hold off for the weather they want.

Martha

I see wings in the chrysalis, so maybe tomorrow?

Yay!!

fingers crossed....I forgot to ask, where are you keeping the chrysalis...outside? Tony

Yes, Tony, it's in a pop up hamper on the screened porch.

It elcosed! Almost four weeks. I took it outside on my finger, but it wouldn't fly away. It was 6 pm so I put it back in the hamper and will try tomorrow, if we get a break in the rain. Yeah! My first monarch...even though I actually only raised it for one day. LOL

It is foggy out and suppose to rain all day, but the next two days are not much better. Do I just release it into the fog? Or can I put some cut flowers in the hamper and wait until tomorrow morning when there is suppose to be a break for an hour or so?

Release it! It will be OK. It will find a leaf to take shelter under if it rains. You can see if it will take some sugar water before it goes. Mix 4 parts water to one part sugar. Bring to a boil and let cool. You can soak a paper towel or use one of the plastic scrubbers. If the Monarch doesn't know what to do. Place it on the crumpled paper towel (on a saucer) so the legs touch the sugar water--tasters are in feet! And if it doesn't unroll the proboscis, use a toothpick to gently unroll it so it touches the towel. You are holding it gently but firmly, close to the body while you are doing this.

Hope this makes sense. I wrote this out in a hurry as I'm off to practice being a volunteer naturalist.

Thanks, Butteflymomok. I gave it some sugar water and set it on the screen outside. It was still there when I left for work, but was gone when I got home. However, we also had quite the storm while I was gone, so I hope he made it.

I'm sure he made it. Butterflies have to put up with bad weather all the time, and we don't find them after storms. You did good!

Sandy

Wow - amazing it eclosed! Hope he lives a good life!

Thanks everyone.

Here's a fuzzy picture of it the day before I released it. The wind was really blowing out.

{{gwi:545330}}