First to Hatch

Posted on August 25, 2020 by Eliza Waters
Newly hatched Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

I was heading out the door for work but thought I’d check on my nursery… glad I did!

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About Eliza Waters

Gardener, photographer, naturalist, writer
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77 Responses to First to Hatch

  1. shoreacres's avatar shoreacres says:
    August 25, 2020 at 7:55 pm

    Clearly, I’m not yet entirely with the monarch world. When I read your title, the first thing that came to mind was chickens. But this is just as good — maybe better! It’s great that you found it.

    • Eliza Waters's avatar Eliza Waters says:
      August 25, 2020 at 8:13 pm

      I took the jar outside with a stem of goldenrod stuck in as a ‘ladder’ and first meal. She was gone when I got back home, off to Mexico!
      Are you feeling the effects of the storms Marco or Laura or are you far enough away?

      • shoreacres's avatar shoreacres says:
        August 25, 2020 at 8:30 pm

        Marco’s disintegrating as we speak and isn’t an issue. Laura is still on the way, and we’re going to feel the effects of that one. Your storm Francis, I read, had winds of about 80mph — Laura’s predicting to hit 110-115. This is one of those times when we hope the forecasters are wrong. The more wrong, the better!

      • Eliza Waters's avatar Eliza Waters says:
        August 25, 2020 at 8:48 pm

        Yikes… I hope they are wrong, too. Stay safe!

  2. Judy@NewEnglandGardenAndThread's avatar NewEnglandGardenAndThread says:
    August 25, 2020 at 8:27 pm

    Now, that’s exciting, and even better than chickens. 🙂

  3. ke01341's avatar ke01341 says:
    August 25, 2020 at 8:43 pm

    I used to hatch monarchs with my students when I worked in public school, they absolutely loved it.

  4. Laurie Graves's avatar Laurie Graves says:
    August 25, 2020 at 8:58 pm

    Always so beautiful and miraculous.

  5. Audrey Driscoll's avatar Audrey Driscoll says:
    August 25, 2020 at 9:27 pm

    Here’s hoping she makes it to Mexico!

  6. zinderellie's avatar zinderellie says:
    August 25, 2020 at 10:22 pm

    Beautiful new Monarch butterfly! 😊

  7. krispeterson100's avatar krispeterson100 says:
    August 25, 2020 at 10:32 pm

    Timing is everything. Congratulations!

  8. Jewels's avatar Jewels says:
    August 25, 2020 at 11:14 pm

    Hello lovely! Welcome to your new life as a butterfly! 💕🦋

  9. Anne's avatar Anne says:
    August 26, 2020 at 2:35 am

    I am glad you checked in on your way out! Thank you for sharing this delightful moment.

  10. Karen Lang's avatar Karen Lang says:
    August 26, 2020 at 5:21 am

    Beautiful 🦋🦋🦋

  11. Alice's avatar Alice says:
    August 26, 2020 at 6:46 am

    Congratulations, Eliza. A female was already fully eclosed, this morning, when I came downstairs at 7:20. At least 2 more today. They are so beautiful.

  12. Reed Andariese's avatar Reed Andariese says:
    August 26, 2020 at 6:48 am

    Very Nice Eliza! Great to see the Monarch hatch!

  13. Cathy's avatar Cathy says:
    August 26, 2020 at 8:43 am

    Hey, congratulations!

  14. automatic gardener's avatar automatic gardener says:
    August 26, 2020 at 8:47 am

    My garden is ready and waiting with Butterfly Weed and loads of flowers for the Monarchs’ arrival.

  15. Tranature - quiet moments in nature's avatar Tranature - quiet moments in nature says:
    August 26, 2020 at 10:41 am

    What a wonderful moment Eliza, thank you so much for sharing! xxx

  16. Pepper's avatar Irene says:
    August 27, 2020 at 5:03 am

    Amazing! 😊💙

  17. naturebackin's avatar naturebackin says:
    August 27, 2020 at 8:51 am

    Lovely to see – and record with the camera. The emergence of a butterfly from the cocoon always seems so miraculous.

  18. A Curious Introvert's avatar A Curious Introvert says:
    August 27, 2020 at 11:31 am

    How wonderful and with your amazing gardens I bet she could not believe what a beautiful little world she emerged in.🙂

  19. greendreamsswe's avatar Sagittarius Viking says:
    August 27, 2020 at 11:45 am

    So incredibly beautiful!

  20. Steve Schwartzman's avatar Steve Schwartzman says:
    August 27, 2020 at 4:59 pm

    Happy monarch to you. They’ll migrate through Texas in the fall.

  21. Widdershins's avatar Widdershins says:
    August 27, 2020 at 10:39 pm

    Hello, beautiful.

  22. Frogend_dweller's avatar Frogend_dweller says:
    August 28, 2020 at 9:33 am

    Glad you did too! How wonderful.

  23. Jet Eliot's avatar Jet Eliot says:
    August 28, 2020 at 9:49 am

    What a very exciting moment to witness, Eliza. I’m glad you checked before you went out the door, too. And how marvelous to have another butterfly emerging into the world….

  24. maryjane678's avatar maryjane678 says:
    August 28, 2020 at 12:47 pm

    Stunning. And what a coincidence because I was in butterfly garden in Luxembourg yesterday! We’re back out on the water for a week or two – butterfly pics on new blog tomorrow.

  25. AmyRose🌹's avatar AmyRose🌹 says:
    August 28, 2020 at 4:28 pm

    OH WOW!!! What a miracle, Eliza!! xo

  26. belindagroverphotography's avatar belindagroverphotography says:
    August 29, 2020 at 7:26 am

    How exciting! Any more to come?

  27. Tony Payne's avatar Tony Payne says:
    August 29, 2020 at 12:34 pm

    Wow lovely photo. We have had a lot of butterflies in our garden this summer, but I have never seen one hatch. I’m not sure if it was the wonderful weather this summer or the fact that we had more flowering plants to attract the insects, but we have been very lucky when it comes to butterflies and bees.

  28. Steve Gingold's avatar Steve Gingold says:
    August 29, 2020 at 7:09 pm

    With all the larvae I’ve had in the yard, not a single chrysalis have I found. Lucky you.

    • Eliza Waters's avatar Eliza Waters says:
      August 29, 2020 at 7:26 pm

      #4 hatched out today, I put it out under the shelter of the porch, where it hung for most of the day. By late afternoon it was gone. Such lovely creatures.

  30. bittster's avatar bittster says:
    August 30, 2020 at 8:33 am

    Nice to see! I didn’t raise any this summer. Last year I lost them all to a parasitic fly infestation so that was a bummer, but maybe 2021 🙂

    • Eliza Waters's avatar Eliza Waters says:
      August 30, 2020 at 12:36 pm

      Thanks, Frank. Even though the adults are toxic, the larva aren’t so much, so need a little help to make their way in the world. Sad about the flies killing your hatch. I didn’t find all that many in my patch this year, but saved what I could find. Last year, I didn’t take in any, and missed the process.

  31. denisebushphoto's avatar denisebushphoto says:
    August 30, 2020 at 11:49 am

    Amazing … congratulations!

  32. Maria I's avatar Maria says:
    August 31, 2020 at 4:00 pm

    This is amazing! What a lovely surprise!

  33. Bay Photos By Donna's avatar bayphotosbydonna says:
    August 31, 2020 at 9:20 pm

    Yay! Fabulous to see, Eliza!

  34. throughrosetintedglasses54's avatar throughrosetintedglasses54 says:
    September 2, 2020 at 2:49 pm

    Thats so stunning Eliza. Glad you saw it.

  35. Sreejith Nair's avatar Sreejith Nair says:
    September 6, 2020 at 11:25 pm

    Beautiful image and great timing 🙂

    Myself, wife and kids are all behind butterflies now a days, capturing photos and learning more about their life cycle.

    We are now observing a pupa which was formed two days back and waiting to see the hatching process.

    Thank you for sharing 🙂

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