There Be Butterflies Here

Around the time of Easter this year Darcy asked me quite seriously, "CC, how do

caterpillars make their chrysalis?" And I really didn't know. So I told her I would get

us some caterpillars and we would watch them. And I did. And I still don't know - it is

a miracle. But Darcy has watched with me.

The caterpillars arrived around April 30th in a plastic jar with food in the bottom that

I had to assume the loved. After about a week they began to change just a bit (note photo)

and 3 of them climbed to the top and "hooked" themselves head down into a J position to

make ready for a cocoon. The other two were just a tad slower. A few days later they did

the same thing. After a few days, the chrysalis had formed around all five caterpillars.

(I could not get a really good photo of the cocoons - they were not all that pretty anyway -

these are Painted Lady Butterflies - others may have prettier cocoons.).

Sunday afternoon I was cleaning my bedroom a bit and looked over and thought, "The

cocoons look a bit different" and went over and we had 3 butterflies - they weren't yet moving.

Darcy came over (with everyone else) for Mother's Day and was excited to see them. We

cut orange slices and prepared sugar water for them but they were not flying yet.

Today (5-11) they began flying. Two still have not come out of their cocoons so we're waiting.

I hope they arrive by Wednesday as I would like to take them to Biology class.