How to Witness Monarch Butterfly Metamorphosis at Shenandoah National Park
As the season wanes, Monarch caterpillars, who have been spending much of the summer dining on milkweed plants, find a protective shelter in which to spin their cocoon. The mountains of Appalachia, specifically Shenandoah National Park in Virginia are an accessible location in which to see all the stages of Monarch metamorphosis. When camping at Shenandoah on a warm autumn afternoon, you can see caterpillar leftovers on the milkweed leaves, watch the caterpillar's slow steady ascent beneath the eaves of a house and watch the spinning begin. By simply walking around the structure, one can see over fifty chrysalises in various stages of development, from the spinning to the shell, providing a great learning experience for the kids.
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Instructions
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Make reservations at the Big Meadows Campground. Though the caterpillars aren’t selective about which campground to morph, Big Meadows is the largest and also offers other weekend activities.
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Fly into Washington D.C. and take I-66 from the Beltway (I-95) west to Front Royal Virginia. Use the map of Virginia as a guide. Take the north entrance of Shenandoah and travel southward on Skyline Drive.
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Cross over U.S. Highway 211 to the southern section of the park and continue to the campground. After setting up camp, examine the milkweed plants for caterpillars. Milkweed has relatively large leaves and stands approximately 4 feet off the ground.
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Walk to the nearest man-made structure, either a ranger station or a restroom. Take careful steps since the grounds and walkways may have caterpillars crossing. Once at the structure, count the chrysalis hanging from the eaves.
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Look for caterpillars climbing the outside walls or already beginning a cocoon. The insects are recognizable by thin yellow and black stripes.
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Locate the green chrysalis, the sign of a recently completed structure, and the caterpillar resting inside.
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Identify the various colors of the cocoons, usually from light green to black. The darker the cocoon gets, the closer it is to releasing the Monarch.
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Locate the empty shells of the chrysalis, remnants of a departed butterfly. All the stages of metamorphosis can be witnessed simply by walking around any man-made structure in the park.
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Walk across Skyline Drive and into Big Meadow. While deer are in abundance, look more closely and see a massive Monarch butterfly population preparing for their winter migration toward Texas and Mexico.
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Return to the Visitor Center. Park rangers welcome inquiries about the Monarch metamorphosis. They have information about the butterflies' projected migratory route as well.
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Dine at the cafe located at Big Meadow. Deer stroll by nonchalantly. Or rather, shop for supplies and spend the evening cooking at the campfire.
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- Photo Credit James Barnett
