I found this beast hanging around a friend’s porch ceiling. I never have seen one before and now I know why. Walking Sticks are so cryptic and had it not been for the white background of the ceiling I would never have noticed it.  a really cool animal. This one was photographed along Bull Run Post Office Road

All of the Monoarch stages of development were taken with a Nikon pocket “point and shoot” camera so the quaility of photo isn’t great.  My purpose was to try and document a gradual transitional stages of the Monarch life cycle .  Note that this chrysalis is attached to, not a Milkweed plant but instead the underleaf of a Canna.  Just minutes after this pic was taken the adult form emerged

Monoarch Chrysalis late development stage.  Most likely around two and half weeks since it was formed.

I took this photo in my front yard in August.  We planted native Milkweek plants to attract Monarch butterflies. I counted at least a half of dozen larva on one plant. This is a pic of one of those larva