It has been quite an exciting 2.5 weeks. Jack, Becky, and I decided to order some caterpillars from InsectLore.com and raise butterflies. Five caterpillars arrived in a small self contained environment with food where they stayed for 7-10 days until they formed chrysalis (I can't remember exactly how long it took). They were quite skinny when we got them, but became really fat. Once they formed their chrysalis they were supposed to remain in them for another 7-10 days. It turned out that they were going to hatch over a weekend. Becky was on her way to Idaho and Jack thought I should be responsible for taking them home. They need to be fed sugar water and we didn't want them to starve over the weekend. So Friday night I brought the 5 chrysalises home in their butterfly bungalow. Jay and I were headed to Seattle for the Rock n Roll 1/2 marathon so I left them two fresh orange slices and we were off. This is what they looked like Friday afternoon.
When we came home on Saturday we had three butterflies!!! I thought that was pretty good. I cut them some fresh flowers to drop sugar water on and gave them two fresh orange slices. Then on Sunday, the other two hatched! All five of our caterpillars made the amazing change to butterflies. I think Jack and I will release them this week. Don't worry, they are Painted Ladies and native to the area.
Probably the most interesting thing I learned during this whole process is that the chrysalises will shake when they feel threatened. It is a defense mechanism to ward off predators. When I brought them home and had to move them two of the chrysalises were shaking so hard they actually made noise. I thought they would fall off the side. It was crazy. I wonder how they make themselves shake?
When we came home on Saturday we had three butterflies!!! I thought that was pretty good. I cut them some fresh flowers to drop sugar water on and gave them two fresh orange slices. Then on Sunday, the other two hatched! All five of our caterpillars made the amazing change to butterflies. I think Jack and I will release them this week. Don't worry, they are Painted Ladies and native to the area.
Probably the most interesting thing I learned during this whole process is that the chrysalises will shake when they feel threatened. It is a defense mechanism to ward off predators. When I brought them home and had to move them two of the chrysalises were shaking so hard they actually made noise. I thought they would fall off the side. It was crazy. I wonder how they make themselves shake?
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