Last month during a Land Trust outing in Skyline Forest, hikers stumbled upon something incredible! 

A "bazillion" California tortoiseshell butterfly caterpillars were spotted along the trail to Bull Springs. These caterpillars and chrysalides were found clustered around the trail, eating every leaf off the nearby bushes.

California tortoiseshell butterflies have a natural boom and bust cycle, and hike participants were amazed at the BOOM they were seeing! After eating heaps and heaps of snowbrush and rabbitbrush, the California tortoiseshell caterpillars began forming chrysalides on just about anything! From sticks to blades of grass, the forest was full of what Stewardship Director, Amanda liked to call "J's and Cats."

The first sign that a caterpillar is going to form a chrysalis is when they form a "J hook." They attach themselves with their silk to their chosen branch and shape their body into a J shape. They then begin their transformative journey into a chrysalis. After forming chrysalides, the California Tortoiseshells take a week or two to transform into butterflies!

Last weekend, these butterflies began to emerge and fill the sky with orange. Natural phenomenon, like this super-boom of California tortoiseshell butterflies, reminds us of how incredible, yet also fragile the world we live in can be. Caring for and protecting these places will give future generations the chance to experience this same wonder. As we watch them fly about, moving from flower to flower, we can't help but dream of a future where Monarch butterflies have returned to Central Oregon. We hope you are inspired too!

Learn more: 

• Read about our new Monarch Butterfly Conservation Program.
• Learn about the magic of Monarch butterflies.
• See how you can plant your own butterfly garden.
• Join us on an upcoming wildflower or butterfly walk.
• Donate now to support our Monarch and many other conservation projects!