Fermilab, Kane County, Illinois
August 16, 2007
I found this Gray Comma
caterpillar in the Fermilab woods on August 13, just into the woods
from where we see them flying, on Gooseberry (sitting on a leaf in the
photo). I kept it in a container in my office on a small
Gooseberry branch kept fresh in water.
chrysalis formed by caterpillar in above photo.
Fermilab, Kane County, Illinois
August 20, 2007
The caterpillar transformed into a chrysalis during the weekend of August 15 - 16.
Fermilab, Kane County, Illinois
August 25, 2007
Still sitting on the empty chrysalis in my office. This was Saturday evening, so I took it home to get another photo before releasing it the next day.
same individual as above
Fermilab, Kane County, Illinois
August 26, 2007
I kept the butterfly in a container in a cool place on our front porch with a cloth over it for darkness, so the butterfly remained inactive over night and into the next morning. Then I placed it on a white sheet of paper in the sun, where it opened its wings to warm up; I took this photo. I then released the butterfly where I had found the caterpillar, in the Fermilab woods.