As August winds down, one of nature's miracles is about to unfold. Over the next four weeks, monarch butterflies will wing their way south to the fir forests high in the mountains of central Mexico. They travel 50-100 miles each day to reach a destination they've never been to before.

But another monarch miracle is unfolding right now. The eggs of the year's final generation have just been laid on the underside of milkweed leaves. They hatch in three to five days.

After four molts in about 14 days, the 2-inch-long caterpillars hang from a perch, assume a J shape, and transform into a lime green chrysalis. After another 10 days, the chrysalis darkens and the outline of orange and black wings begins to appear beneath the chrysalis' translucent skin. Shortly thereafter, a beautiful monarch butterfly emerges.

The transformation of caterpillar into chrysalis and chrysalis into butterfly can only be described as miraculous. What's inside the chrysalis is neither caterpillar nor butterfly, yet they are both the beginning and the end of the process.

Few ever get to see these transformations take place because caterpillars and chrysalises are hard to find, and the actual transition from caterpillar to chrysalis and chrysalis to butterfly takes place quickly.

With a little advance planning, however, anyone can watch these amazing events unfold. First, find a stand of milkweed in an old field or along a country road. Then look for chewed leaves and clusters of butterfly waste (frass) on the tops of leaves. When you find these two bits of evidence, there is surely a yellow, black and white-ringed monarch caterpillar on the underside of a nearby leaf.

Cut the stalk and put it in a small water-filled vase and place it in a large container. A jumbo-size, large-mouthed plastic pretzel container is perfect. Then keep your eyes on the caterpillars and be sure fresh milkweed leaves are always available.

When the caterpillar goes into the J position or the chrysalis begins to darken, watch until a chrysalis or monarch butterfly emerges. After the butterfly's wings are completely unfurled and dry, release it to begin its remarkable southbound odyssey.

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