We just released Queen Liliʻuokalani. She's the last of 21 butterflies we raised and released this summer. (An additional five didn't make it all the way to adulthood.)

Tune in next year for another summer at the #MonarchMenagerie

We just released Queen Liliʻuokalani. She's the last of 21 butterflies we raised and released this summer. (An additional five didn't make it all the way to adulthood.)

Tune in next year for another summer at the #MonarchMenagerie

Same darn thing happened with Zenobia today! I looked up and she was all the way out of the chrysalis with her wings fully uncrumpled. Guess the lesson here is to be less aware of my phone and more aware of my surroundings (she typed on her phone). #MonarchMenagerie

Same darn thing happened with Zenobia today! I looked up and she was all the way out of the chrysalis with her wings fully uncrumpled. Guess the lesson here is to be less aware of my phone and more aware of my surroundings (she typed on her phone). #MonarchMenagerie

Speaking of the #MonarchMenagerie, King Kamehameha eclosed while I was sitting on the porch but too engrossed with my phone to notice. Oops!

Speaking of the #MonarchMenagerie, King Kamehameha eclosed while I was sitting on the porch but too engrossed with my phone to notice. Oops!

There were 20-30 monarch butterflies hanging out at the gardens of the local Lutheran church. Maybe one of them was Queen Dido, whom we released yesterday, or one of her fellow royals from my #MonarchMenagerie

(I tried to take a video but my phone died even though it had over 80% battery left.)

There were 20-30 monarch butterflies hanging out at the gardens of the local Lutheran church. Maybe one of them was Queen Dido, whom we released yesterday, or one of her fellow royals from my #MonarchMenagerie

(I tried to take a video but my phone died even though it had over 80% battery left.)

We had to postpone releasing Skjalf by about an hour because Peter started eclosing in the same cage just as we were about to let Skjalf out.

Once Peter was all the way out of his chrysalis and stable enough, I reached in and got Skjalf to step onto my hand so I could take her outside that way, instead of unzipping the cage door all the way down and letting her fly out directly.

#MonarchMenagerie

We had to postpone releasing Skjalf by about an hour because Peter started eclosing in the same cage just as we were about to let Skjalf out.

Once Peter was all the way out of his chrysalis and stable enough, I reached in and got Skjalf to step onto my hand so I could take her outside that way, instead of unzipping the cage door all the way down and letting her fly out directly.

#MonarchMenagerie

We released Harald. There are six remaining (presumably viable*) chrysalides. He zoomed right off, no encouragement needed. Probably headed to the local Lutheran church; they have a very good pollinator garden there which is usually teeming with monarchs. Plus it's the closest Christian church around. 😂

*Anne never eclosed after turning dark and it became clear over time that she had died inside there.

#MonarchMenagerie

We released Harald. There are six remaining (presumably viable*) chrysalides. He zoomed right off, no encouragement needed. Probably headed to the local Lutheran church; they have a very good pollinator garden there which is usually teeming with monarchs. Plus it's the closest Christian church around. 😂

*Anne never eclosed after turning dark and it became clear over time that she had died inside there.

#MonarchMenagerie

King Harald eclosed this morning. It's been grey and rainy all day so we're waiting until tomorrow to release him.

#MonarchMenagerie

King Harald eclosed this morning. It's been grey and rainy all day so we're waiting until tomorrow to release him.

#MonarchMenagerie

Three more butterflies eclosed this morning! Welcome to Moremi, Himiko, and Catherine!

Liliʻuokalani pupated this morning; she was the last caterpillar.

#MonarchMenagerie

Three more butterflies eclosed this morning! Welcome to Moremi, Himiko, and Catherine!

Liliʻuokalani pupated this morning; she was the last caterpillar.

#MonarchMenagerie

It was a three-butterfly day today! We released Mary and Alexander, who eclosed yesterday, and Pedro, who eclosed overnight.

The last remaining caterpillar is in a J as of this evening.

#MonarchMenagerie

It was a three-butterfly day today! We released Mary and Alexander, who eclosed yesterday, and Pedro, who eclosed overnight.

The last remaining caterpillar is in a J as of this evening.

#MonarchMenagerie

It's been a minute since I've taken butterfly pics. My phone's battery has gone kaput and trying to take a picture with anything less than maybe 65% usually forces a restart. Also, it turns out that caterpillars and chrysalides and butterflies do look quite similar.

However, we had two more butterflies eclose today (Mary and Alexander), so I took a picture of them. I didn't get photos of our release of Nefertiti from this morning.

#MonarchMenagerie

It's been a minute since I've taken butterfly pics. My phone's battery has gone kaput and trying to take a picture with anything less than maybe 65% usually forces a restart. Also, it turns out that caterpillars and chrysalides and butterflies do look quite similar.

However, we had two more butterflies eclose today (Mary and Alexander), so I took a picture of them. I didn't get photos of our release of Nefertiti from this morning.

#MonarchMenagerie