Butterflies!

You might have noticed in the background of some of our other pictures that we were raising butterflies. We started with 5 tiny caterpillars and they grew and grew. Then they each spun a chrysalis. NOTE: They did not spin a cocoon, a moth would spin a cocoon, a butterfly comes from a chrysalis. Then we waited for them to emerge.

Once the butterflies emerge, you notice two things. #1 Their wings are wet and drip red. They are not bleeding, they are just simply letting their wings dry. #2 They are hungry after not eating for many days. They love milkweed, sugar water, and oranges. Oranges are easiest for us, so that's what we used.

 

Theoretically when you open up the tent, they all fly away. However sometimes they are perfectly happy living in a confined area with food being brought to them regularly. Three of them did fly away, but there were two who just didn't want to leave.

I was able to pick up an orange slice with a butterfly on it and set it out of the tent. You can even see the butterfly eating in this photo!

Those two hung out for a long time. One eventually flew away. I think the other one had some challenges and probably couldn't fly. It was gone the next day so the kids assumed it flew away. I'm guessing it was just fulfilling it's part in the food chain.