The Chrysalis

It looks like a piece of wood. My caterpillar friend has begun the change. (Click HERE to read about how it was an answer to prayer.) The changes took place only a few days after I found it. I watched as it crawled around, looking for a place to do its thing. I watched as it turned from green to black, and it secured itself to a branch by just two threads. I found it had morphed from a crawling thing, to what appears to be a piece of wood, hanging on for dear life.

It is truly fascinating.

I have done a little research to try and find out what kind of butterfly it might become. From what I can tell, it looks like it might be a Western Tiger Swallowtail. I am not sure of this, but the description seems to match. We shall see.

What I found interesting is that it might take some time for the complete change to occur. What I read was that if they form the Chrysalis in the summer, then it will only take a few weeks before it emerges as a butterfly. But if the Chrysalis forms in the fall, it could take until the spring for it to be fully "cooked" and ready to fly.

So, we might be watching this "piece of wood" for a while.

I am really glad I decided to do some research. If I had not, I would have likely given up on the butterfly, thrown it out, thinking it was dead. It might just be that it needs a good long time to become a new creature. The process cannot be forced. But when it is ready -- if all goes well in its development -- it will emerge with wings.

It appears that nothing is happening. Day after day, it just hangs there without motion. Meanwhile, it is changing and developing into something extraordinary.

One day, this piece of wood will fly.