On our seven swan plants I counted at least 70 caterpillars, one of which is making his chrysalis. In his book “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”, Eric Carl suggests caterpillars stay inside their cocoon (as he calls it) for “more than two weeks”, but we have noticed our monarchs stay in for only four to eight days. I’m not sure how many are going to survive, because there may not be enough food for the huge number of crawlies. 
When we weeded the garden we found two chrysalises lying on the path, so we tied them to some string hoping that they will survive (and that we will see them hatch open). K9 found the middle already staring to make its chrysalis one on a leaf which was on the ground. The chrysalis has finished
Hi, there!
Thanks for leaving a comment on my Great & Small blog. I closed it down, but I still receive email notifications for comments 
What a terrific Monarch set up you have! That photo of the caterpillar in “J formation” is such a great example of how they look just before they molt for the last time. How you been able to see them split their skins, revealing the chrysalis underneath?? What a blessing to be able to learn like this with our children!
I may not be posting to my nature blog, but I am still adding nature study entries to my main blog, The Educational Life
I hope you’ll come by and see. Here’s the nature entry I posted last night.
http://theeducationallife.blogspot.com/2008/01/its-sping-in-my-kitchen-forcing-bulbs.html
Blessings,
Jacci
how interesting
this must happen regularly in nature
I wonder what does happen
when they hatch
I wonder if there is enough food