Butterflies

The kids and I sent of for some caterpillars a few weeks back, and they arrived in a little jar full of food. We watched them for many days, as they ate and pooped and spun silk, and then they crawled up to the top of the jar and wrapped themselves up in their cocoons. You know what happens next.

Fresh Butterflies


Five of the six caterpillars made it to the butterfly stage. We turned them loose at the little pond/lake by our house.



No images of their release, because I wanted to be fully in the moment instead of behind a lens. Marian held up the first, and it lounged around on her hand for awhile, curling its proboscis in and out, and languidly flew away. Leo lifted his up, and it had a mishap during take-off and landed back on his hand, then flew away successfully. Sophie had barely lifted hers up to freedom when it immediately took off, and the two I released did the same. It was really lovely.