Monarch Butterfly Garden- Bring Home the Butterflies

Butterfly Garden Ideas and Gardening Tips to Attract Monarchs, Swallowtails, Hummingbirds, and other Precious Pollinators

  • Home
  • About
    • Affiliate Disclosure
    • Archives
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
  • Blog
    • Butterfly Gifts
      • Valentine Gift Ideas for a Butterfly Lover
      • Mother’s Day Gift Ideas
      • Monarch Chrysalis Pendants
      • Butterfly Gifts for Christmas
    • Inspirational Butterfly Photos
    • Garden Humor
    • Holiday Butterflies
  • Monarch Shop
  • Buy Milkweed
    • Stop Aphids
    • Milkweed Pests, Guests, & Diseases
  • Find Butterfly Plants
    • Butterfly Garden Tools & Resources
  • Butterfly Garden Ideas
    • Start or Improve your Monarch Butterfly Garden
    • Stop Monarch Predators
    • School Butterfly Garden Tips
    • Host Plants for Caterpillars
    • Container Garden Ideas
    • Wildlife Garden Ideas
    • Butterfly Garden Book for Monarchs- Instant Download
  • Raise Monarchs
    • Start Raising Monarch Butterflies Here…
    • Top Tools, Supplies, and Resources for Raising Monarch Butterflies
    • Prevent Monarch Diseases
    • Monarch Eggs
    • Monarch Caterpillars
    • Monarch Chrysalis
    • Adult Monarch Butterfly
    • Monarch Migration
    • Raising OTHER Butterflies
You are here: Home / Monarch Butterflies / The Night Before Chrysalis- A Monarch Butterfly Christmas Story

The Night Before Chrysalis- A Monarch Butterfly Christmas Story

December 21 By Tony Gomez 31 Comments

Share Holiday Joy on the Wings of Butterflies

The Night Before Chrysalis- A Monarch Butterfly Christmas Story

‘Twas the night before chrysalis and all through the cage, not a monarch was stirring, in any butter-stage!

Each day a new butterfly hatches feels like Christmas morning. Have you ever experienced the joy of raising magnificent monarchs? It’s an awe-inspiring experience for kids of all ages…

All the monarchs were hung on the ceiling with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there! A Monarch Butterfly Christmas Story

All the monarchs were hung on the ceiling with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there…

Monarch butterflies must have room to hang down for at least two hours after hatching. This allows their wings to expand and dry so they can take flight!

The Night Before Chrysalis- A Monarch Butterfly Christmas Story

But I heard him flapping as he flew out of sight, Happy Chrysalis to all, and to all a good night!

While fully dried butterfly wings aren’t strong enough to carry, say, a Christmas ball ornament…they’ll help to elude predators, so they can find a great butter-love to start a new generation of magnificent monarchs.

Are you interested in experiencing the magic of monarchs in 2020? CLICK HERE to join an amazing community of monarch lovers and receive helpful raising and gardening tips for next monarch season…Happy Holidays!
Share the Joy of Butterflies
  • 418
    Shares
  • 418
    Shares

Filed Under: Monarch Butterflies, Adult Monarch Butterfly, Holiday Butterflies, Monarch Chrysalis, Raising Monarchs Tagged With: butterfly garden tips, christmas butterflies, monarch butterfly, monarch butterfly garden, monarch chrysalis, raising monarch butterflies, raising monarchs, twas the night before christmas

Comments

  1. Cassandra Stierheim says

    December 25 at 10:48 pm

    I had 3 butterflies as of 9pm in Yulee, Florida emerge from Chrysalis on Christmas Day. One at 9:30-10:00 am second around 2:00 pm and one at 8:30 pm.. will have to keep them inside for a few days and feed them.. freezing temps tonight( Christmas Night) and hard freeze tomorrow at night..then a little warm up..I was watching Chrysalises the last few days and was getting anxious when I seen a few start becoming translucent. So I was hoping a few would emerge on Christmas Day and got my wish.. these 3 butterflies are special to me as they emerged on Christmas Day when we celebrate Jesus’s Birth. And because this year we also had the Great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn to create the Star of Bethlehem. Which was last observed 800 years ago this close to Christmas Day

    Reply
  2. Suzanne Miller says

    December 24 at 4:38 pm

    December 24th
    I just had a female Monarch fluttering around my Milkweed in the garden. The temperature was in the mid 70’s today in S Florida. A straggler maybe, or just sticking around? Not sure, but I usually don’t see them after Thanksgiving until mid-March. This year I have had few late comers .

    Reply
    • Tony Gomez says

      December 30 at 8:33 am

      Hi Suzanne, central and south Florida have a year-round population…enjoy!

      Reply
  3. Sandra Moser says

    December 22 at 12:10 pm

    An earlier comment mentioned wormwood (Artemisia) in regard to wasps. Is this helpful?

    Reply
    • Tony Gomez says

      December 23 at 9:33 am

      Sandra and Ginny, I am not familiar with this, but it sounds like this could have insecticidal properties for bees and moths too, so not the first solution I would try:

      Stop wasps in the butterfly garden?

      Wormwood (Artemisia) Info

      Reply
  4. Valerie Gryniuk says

    December 21 at 12:26 pm

    Here in southeast Florida the milkweed plants are healthy and plentiful in my gardens and new plants are emerging all the time. I have had one monarch laying eggs everyday. Our biggest threat are the flies that lay eggs on the caterpillars. Everything looks fabulous until they are in their chrysalis stage and they never emerge. Their bodies liquify in the chrysalis. It is so sad. My neighbor harvests my eggs and caterpillars from my plants to give them a fighting chance inside her cages. The wasp has been around also , but not too many in this winter season. Yellow aphids are a problem and they gather in mass on the seed pods and blossoms. I am going to try releasing lady bugs to see if that takes care of the aphids. Any suggestions on what to do about the flies. The caterpillars are huge and beautiful, but then don’t make it.

    Reply
    • Tony Gomez says

      December 23 at 9:20 am

      Hi Valerie, here are a couple posts that should give you some ideas growing forward:

      Aphid Control

      Tachinid Flies

      Reply
  5. Jo Johnstone says

    December 21 at 10:36 am

    I just want to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years, Tony. Your blog is amazing and so informative. Thank you for the time you put into it. 🎄🥂😊

    Reply
  6. Susan T says

    December 26 at 7:53 am

    I really need to cut back my milkweed, but I just found a 5 th in star caterpillar in it yesterday! It has snowed 6 inches here in south Louisiana and colder weather than usual. I am surprised at the tenacity of this caterpillar!
    Still have 4 chrysalis left waiting to emerge.

    Reply
    • Priscilla Atwell says

      December 30 at 11:44 am

      Out here in Los Angeles (near ocean) we had two chrysalis hatch on Christmas morning–I was in the house with the flu but nature just keeps on trucking… Had a problem with wasps this year–kept taking my caterpillars to feed their young–never did find the nest but we bought wormwood (Artemisia) and it seems to work. Nice grey/green foliage.

      Thanks Tony for all your articles and help… Happy New Year!

      Reply
      • Ginny Spurlock says

        December 21 at 10:38 am

        WOW! I used to have wormwood but never knew it repelled wasps! I’ve definitely got to get some more in my garden. Thank you for sharing!

        Reply
    • BG says

      December 21 at 8:13 pm

      I’m south Louisiana, too. 15 chrysalis and at least a dozen cats in my butterfly huts. This is my first year raising monarchs. Worried it will be too cold to fly away. Not many flowers for nectar. What do you think?

      Reply
      • Tony Gomez says

        December 23 at 9:17 am

        Hi BG, you can release them if/when you have 60° highs for weather…more info here:

        Safely Release Monarchs

        Reply
  7. hannah anderson says

    December 23 at 1:37 pm

    Merry Christmas Tony
    i,m in Safty Harbor,florida….
    still having cats…..been raising monarchs for 2 years now….such a joy to watch them grow…
    still learning…….all my neighbors loving them flying around my house,they here all year….just not to many in the winter……

    love my butterflys……….Hannah……

    Reply
  8. Audrey Albert says

    December 23 at 11:45 am

    Thank you for all your hints. I’ve learned a lot. I still have 10 chrysalides waiting to open, but I brought my cages indoors. I’m in Port Hueneme, which is North of LA and south of Santa Barbara. We get a lot of monarchs in the fall. I just hope the fires and the smoke we had in these last few weeks haven’t affected the wintering population. Happy New Year! Audrey

    Ps. Loved your Night before Chrysalides

    Reply
  9. Dottie Carter says

    December 23 at 10:40 am

    Tony – thank you for all the monarch wisdom you share with us. I have been raising monarchs for 15+ years and there is always something new to learn. It snowed here in St. Louis overnight. So pretty but so looking forward to my 2018 monarch season. Merry Christmas.

    Reply
  10. Rita says

    December 23 at 10:35 am

    Hi Tony,
    I can’t wait for Monarch season to start next year. Hope my 100 swamp weed seeds come up because I want to start a butterfly club here and share with everyone. I have my daughter a butterfly house wrapped up for Christmas. Merry Christmas!

    Reply
  11. Ruth says

    December 22 at 5:33 pm

    Merry Christmas, Tony! Here in SW Florida every day is monarch Monday (and Tuesday and Wednesday . . .). Your raising tips are really helpful especially for those of us new to the privilege of raising these magnificent creatures from eggs on our milkweed plants in the garden.

    Reply
    • Tony Gomez says

      December 22 at 5:53 pm

      enjoy those winter monarchs for the rest of us Ruth…Merry Christmas!

      Reply
  12. Sally Ellis says

    December 22 at 4:10 pm

    Merry Christmas, Tony.

    Hope you have lots of cages in stock — I’ll be doing a class here in Florida in January and will be promoting your products. We are snowbirds, so hopefully everyone will raise monarchs once they return to their up-north homes!

    Thanks for all you do.

    Sally

    Reply
    • Tony Gomez says

      December 22 at 6:04 pm

      Hi Sally, we still have all cage sizes in stock and more are currently being manufactured…the plan is not to run out in 2018 😉

      Thank you always for your kind words and support…Merry Christmas!

      Reply
  13. Lillian Castner says

    December 23 at 8:15 pm

    Merry Christmas, Tony. Thank you for all you do.

    Reply
  14. Derek Hall says

    December 22 at 4:07 pm

    Merry Christmas Tony!

    Is there any info re migration numbers for last year yet?

    Reply
    • Tony Gomez says

      December 25 at 11:02 am

      Hi Derek, those numbers will probably be released in February or March…Merry Christmas!

      Reply
  15. Andrea says

    December 22 at 2:54 pm

    Merry Christmas, Tony and thank you for sharing so much knowledge! I look forward to your letters as do we all. Already planning for the new year!

    Andrea

    Reply
  16. Donna Czarnecki says

    December 21 at 12:58 pm

    Hi Tony,
    I just wanted to let you know at Christmas time how much I appreciate the caring and kind attitude that you show towards all of the people who visit your site and to thank you for sharing your love of Monarchs with all of us. I always look forward to your messages!
    Donna

    Reply
  17. Ricardo Inostroza says

    December 21 at 12:20 pm

    Thx for the tale and for the wishes… Merry Christmas to you as well Tony

    Reply
  18. Brian says

    December 11 at 7:49 pm

    Hi Tony,

    A few of my gardening friends would get a kick out of some of your pictures that you have edited with words or sayings. However, I didn’t want to send them out without asking your permission. Would it be ok to forward a Christmas picture or two?

    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Tony Gomez says

      December 12 at 11:21 pm

      Hi Brian, feel free to share any of my posts with your gardening friends…that’s what they are there for. Merry Christmas!

      Reply
  19. cheri folmar says

    September 24 at 2:53 pm

    I dont know when I should start raising butterflies. I live in VA. Its sept 24. Do I need to wait until spring?

    Reply
    • Tony Gomez says

      September 25 at 12:28 am

      Hi Cheri, it’s too late to start raising monarchs in your region. But, you have plenty of time to get prepared in the off-season. Fall is a great time for planting milkweed plants and it will give you a big head start on next season:

      Fall Planting for Next Year’s Butterflies

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Find it Here

Save More Monarchs

The Butterfly Growing Kit is a monarch butterfly kit that includes a cage for raising butterflies, floral tubes for milkweed stem cuttings, and a digital book about how to raise monarch butterflies indoors. Get the tools you need for raising healthy monarch butterflies...

Monarch Butterfly Kits to Raise Caterpillars into Butterflies

25 Garden Variety Milkweeds

25+ Garden Variety Milkweed Plants- Ornamental Asclepias Asperula is a Stunning Milkweed Variety for the Butterfly Garden. It's also an important Host Plant and Nectar Source for Spring Monarch Butterflies.

25 Milkweed Plant Ideas for North American Butterfly Gardens


Butterfly Gift Ideas?

Monarch transformation pendants are glass blown butterfly jewelry created to look like real life monarch chrysalises.

Butterfly Gift Ideas for All Occasions

Social Butterfly?

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest

Featured Posts

Winter Sowing Milkweed Seeds for Monarch Butterflies: What supplies will you need and what household items can you use for sowing containers?

Winter Sowing Milkweed Seeds Part 1: Supply Checklist

3 Big Advantages of Winter Sown Milkweed + Winter Sowing Container ideas

© 2014-2020 Monarch Butterfly Garden | Privacy Policy