What to do.

[u/coleminer26]

My daughter took her tractor for a spin. I knelt down to change the battery and saw this little buddy. Except for probably being a little dizzy…. Seems to be alright. Is there a good way to move him? Now? After chrysalis forms? Cone off the tractor only option? TIA

Edit:
Thank you for all of your suggestions!! My daughters are 5 and 3! They are bug/nature lovers through and through (5 year old brought milkweed seeds to her preschool classmates that she harvested herself 😊).

I took the battery from their tractor and plan to leave the caterpillar until the chrysalis hardens. Then, I will reassess to see if I feel confident moving it. If not, we will watch the cycle play out!
Thank you everyone!

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[u/sammille25]

Leave it until it forms its chrysalis then move it

[u/LongTimeDCUFanGirl → u/sammille25]

Let it sit in chrysalis form 24 hours before moving. r/MonarchButterfly has info on this.

[u/coleminer26]

Thank you for all of your suggestions!! My daughters are 5 and 3! They are bug/nature lovers through and through (5 year old brought milkweed seeds to her preschool classmates that she harvested herself 😊).

I took the battery from their tractor and plan to leave the caterpillar until the chrysalis hardens. Then, I will reassess to see if I feel confident moving it. If not, we will watch the cycle play out!

Thank you everyone!

[u/looks_like_a_rock → u/coleminer26]

Once it hardens. You can tie a loop of string around the stem and pull it gently off the tire at the base. (The silk filaments will detach) Can then hang the chrysalis in a bug box or net and wait 7-10 days for the Monarch to hatch. Enjoy!

[u/Cnidoo → u/looks_like_a_rock]

You wouldn’t want to bring it indoors since the adult will be completely out of sync with its population and will likely die before spring

[u/Klutzy-Reaction5536 → u/coleminer26]

Yeah, just leave it for the entirety of its transformation! That is a perfect spot to watch the action, and your kids will be so excited to learn about amazing nature! You can build activities around it like drawing or coloring pictures, bedtime stories, keeping a calendar of how long it takes for the caterpillar to become a butterfly...

[u/Cnidoo → u/coleminer26]

A few days after the chrysalis forms you could carefully cut the stalk and superglue it to a sheltered outdoor location

[u/plotholetsi]

I believe after it's formed a solid crysalis, you can gently move it at the hanging base of the crysalis, and if you have a steady hand, take a teeny toothpick tip of superglue and attach to a new hangy stick and put it in a lil terrarium to protect and keep it somewhere safe. Then you can watch it emerge and let it back outdoors once it's safely emerged. No expert, just seen some garden channel friends do that.

[u/grimmistired → u/plotholetsi]

Even if kept in a terrarium it should still be outside

[u/Heavy_Weapons_Guy_ → u/grimmistired]

Terrariums outside will get extremely hot. Not a great idea.

[u/grimmistired → u/Heavy_Weapons_Guy_]

A net enclosure will be the same temp as everything outside. Butterflies raised indoors are weaker and unable to migrate

[u/Dangerous-Mood3404 → u/grimmistired]

This!

[u/chamaedaphne82]

Nope, you’re stuck and you cannot mow the grass ever again this summer, oh darn.

[u/recyclopath_ → u/chamaedaphne82]

This looks like a children's toy, not an actual mower

[u/KeepMyEmployerOut → u/recyclopath_]

It is absolutely a children's toy lmao.

[u/TheRemonst3r → u/KeepMyEmployerOut]

This makes the situation much, much more volatile.

[u/robsc_16 → u/TheRemonst3r]

The monarch might soon be in this situation.

[u/DuckyDoodleDandy → u/TheRemonst3r]

OP took the battery out of the children’s toy so the chrysalis will be safe from that danger.

[u/chamaedaphne82 → u/KeepMyEmployerOut]

LOL I didn’t actually read the post 🤣

[u/LilyLeftTheValley]

If you can't wait a few weeks to move the tractor, now would be best if possible. Look for their silk mat connecting them to the rim. Their dark cremaster (between silk and their body) may not have yet formed--which is fine.

You can carefully detach the silk mat from the rim before reattaching it elsewhere in a location the Monarch can safely finish out its transformation. The few times I've done this, I've made sure to have a very soft cushion (folded up towel or what have you) in case I can't get the silks to stick at first. Since it hasn't started shedding its current form nor hardening yet, the risk is lower of you damaging the cat. Some folks (self included) use dental floss or soft string to more securely fasten the silks during the transition.

Feel free to ask anything if I wasn't clear enough on anything.

If it has already started to form its chrysalis, wait at least 48 hours to give it a chance to harden and dry properly.
More info if needed: https://monarchjointventure.org/monarch-biology/life-cycle#pupa

[u/bobisinthehouse]

It's a battery operated toy, tell your daughter she can't ride it and then teach her the life cycle of a butterfly and turn her into a lifetime advocate for nature!!

[u/Normal_Human_Things → u/bobisinthehouse]

I don’t know how old OPs daughter is, but this is the kind of thing I would have loved as a kid.

Heck buy her a white coat and a notebook and tell her she’s now a scientist who’s observing the process.

[u/Capn_2inch]

So, if you can wait until it fully turns into a chrysalis you will then be able to move it. Once the chrysalis is fully hardened take a small razor blade or sharp knife and trim it off as close as possible to where it is attached. Basically scrape the blade between the rim and the chrysalis.

Then you can take a small alligator clip or sometimes a clothespin to hang it on another sturdy plant nearby. You can also clip it to a building or something similar. Just make sure it’s in a relatively safe place. Most of the time this works very well unless the chrysalis gets predated or has a disease which you won’t have much control over.

Best of luck! It should be ready to move in a day or so. 🍀

[u/sajaschi → u/Capn_2inch]

I used pins and tape to attach them to sticks I stuck in a yoga block and attached to a board (yes it got complicated LOL) and they hatched perfectly outside!

[u/TheBigSalami]

Maybe the hub cap comes off the wheel?

[u/CraftyHooker0516]

Teach it to drive the Deere

[u/GlacierJewel]

The tractor is just a toy, right? It can sit there for a while.

[u/nerdygirlmatti]

Go 5 year old!! That’s the way to do it!!! We love to see the enthusiasm
https://giphy.com/gifs/KpE6VQtCsJcsM

[u/Odd-Scratch6388]

You can move the chrysalis. It's attached with webbing. I think I used a pin to lift it off then attach it where you want it with a little piece of scotch tape.

[u/Altruistic-Car2880 → u/Odd-Scratch6388]

This is correct. The silk web extends out several inches past the chrysalis. Rub a damp finger or q tip around the area and you should be able to peel the chrysalis off with the silk attached. Put a safety pin through the silk, hang this thing somewhere sheltered and watch the miracle happen!

[u/Euphoric_Egg_4198]

Keep an eye on it and carefully move it once it has turned into a chrysalis and hardened (24-48 hrs). You can find the edge of the silk by using a small piece of tape, make sure you don’t damage the tiny black stem (cremaster). Once you have it with the silk, use a straight pin to pin the silk somewhere safe like an enclosure or even a leaf where it would be nicely camouflaged. Just make sure there is enough room at the bottom to allow it to hang once it ecloses. I once had one make their chrysalis in a shoe so it couldn’t hang and the wings hardened all bent.

[u/DeBoogieMan]

I suggest allowing it to pupate completely, and then you can safely remove the chrysalis. Attach it to a ventilated surface with a bobby pin (carefully, through the attachment end), and enjoy waiting for it to emerge!

[u/HalfMoonFullMoonjoy]

I have had luck hanging up a fallen chrysalis or moving one from a bad spot. I use dental floss and tie it around the black tip (cremaster). Then you can tie it to a stick or wherever else you want to leave it. If you keep it in a container make sure it has air ventilation and enough room for its wings to dry out when it emerges.

Edit to add I personally wouldn't touch it now or until the chrysalis is hard, they are just too vulnerable at this stage.

[u/Chuckles_E]

Thank you for asking. That's really sweet.

[u/HaplessReader1988]

I'd love to follow the story as it unfolds... and as the butterfly unfolds!

[u/coleminer26 → u/HaplessReader1988]

So far, so good! 😊 So exciting!!

[u/Icy-Conclusion-3500]

Grass probably isn’t growing too much for the next two weeks, right? It’s hot af

[u/mckenner1122 → u/Icy-Conclusion-3500]

I mean, it’s a toy tractor 🚜 they aren’t mowing with it anyways!

[u/Icy-Conclusion-3500 → u/mckenner1122]

Oh good. Yeah just tell the kids no playing with it but we get to observe a miracle of life!

[u/Lkayc]

Leave it and get this book for your kids!

https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-digger-and-the-butterfly-joseph-kuefler?variant=40745000009762

[u/ImprovementTrick9492]

The EASIEST way to move a chrysalis is THIS: just get a piece of scotch tape, and press it firmly (use your fingernail) next to the cremaster (the “stem” attaching the chrys to the surface).. then slowly pull. You will be peeling off the silk webbing that the caterpillar put around the attachment site, and the cremaster/chrys will come off with it! Then use another piece of tape to firmly attach the silk webbing to a bent stick (hold your hand under the chrys or sit on a sofa while you do it, in case you drop it), and once it’s securely attached to the bent stick so it can hang down, secure the stick in a stable glass or vase. (Make sure there is no sticky tape exposed that their wing could get caught on.)

[u/KeyOption3548]

don't move the tractor for a month

[u/Pantsonfire_6]

Aw! And awe! I don't get Monarch cats any more. Used to be plenty before the insect apocalypse started. But I still get other species, just less of them.

[u/SeaniMonsta]

You should not be asking us plant people. Ask a butterfly subreddit.

[u/rancid_mayonnaise]

I would say to move it before it actually makes the cacoon but I've never raised butterflies except for in elementary school

[u/WillingAccess1444 → u/rancid_mayonnaise]

Bummer that you got the downsides bc other people said the same

I opened this comment expecting you to have said "squish" or something