For the past few years I have wanted to raise a Monarch caterpillar with my kids and watch its transformation to a beautiful butterfly. This “want” never resulted into finding a caterpillar or even inquiring where I could find one. This year one fell right into my lap, well not literally, but it might as well have when one of my son’s classmates asked us if we wanted one. I answered, “YES!” faster than my son heard the question.
Over the weekend in between when we signed the adoption papers and the caterpillar’s arrival we searched and found milkweed, the main criteria for keeping it alive. We set up a container and then in just a day after bringing our baby home it got into its ready position of a “J” to start it’s chrysalis. Two days later we confirmed it dead as its body flattened, blackened and no chrysalis was formed.
Upon hearing of our loss the mom offered us a chrysalis. They had three and would give it to us in a jar, already formed and nothing we could do could kill it she assured us. Although she did say it could take weeks, so we should be patient. Unfortunately we missed the phase when it changed from a bright green chrysalis to transparent, because less than two days later we had a beautiful male butterfly. We knew it was male because of two black dots/spots on its wings. It flew from the jar lid when we weren’t looking, but thankfully our cat helped us locate it. We each held it on our finger before releasing it.
On a related note, if you’ve never read “Adios, Oscar” by Peter Elwell I would highly recommend this great picture book!
That is great. What a special thing to share with the kids.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the book suggestion. We'll pick it up at the library this Saturday. :)
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