Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Hatching

 

 

Every year in late summer we raise Monarchs.  We wander through the field and around the pond looking for Monarch caterpillars.  We take them home with a healthy supply of milkweed and we feed them and feed them, until they crawl off into my ivy plant to make their chrysalis’. 

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Last year, while at a friend’s house (whom happens to be a butterfly lady to the max) my boys found some Swallowtail caterpillars.  Naturally, our friend sent us home with those and a supply of dill to feed them with.  Time passed and the Swallowtail caterpillars wandered off into the ivy.  They built nice little cocoons, but weeks passed and nothing happened.  I figured they had died.  Time carried on and we all forgot about the Swallowtails that had made homes in my ivy. 

Until two days ago.

I was folding laundry when I heard Caleb calling to me in an extremely excited voice.  He kept telling me to come quickly because there was a black and yellow butterfly in the mud room.  I kept saying back, “I’ll be there in a minute.”  Finally, the urgency in his voice piqued my curiosity and I went out to see what had him so excited.  The minute I stepped into the mud room I saw this beauty on the ivy.

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I carefully picked him up and took him outside to my daffodils.  Then I ran back inside for my camera!

Yesterday morning he was still on the daffodils. I think it is a bit early for swallowtails. A bit too cold and a bit lacking in floral treats.  So, I brought him back inside and fed him!  Oh yes! It was a science bonanza in our kitchen.  It was so awesome.  As he clung to my finger I dripped a sugar/water solution by his proboscis.  I didn’t know if he would eat, but just as soon as I placed the drop on my finger, he stretched out his “tongue” and drank and drank.

DSC_0973*Sorry about the blurriness. My son was holding the camera for me. I was looking through the viewfinder and he was depressing the shutter button! Can you see his proboscis! Pretty cool, huh?!

Today is supposed to be warm, up near 70 degrees so I will place him back outside.  Hopefully he will be able to survive on his own. Of course, he has many watching over him and many desiring to take their turns at feeding him.

The science lesson continues!

14 comments:

  1. How stunning! What a beauty he is! What a wonderful hands on study for you guys to get to do! The pictures are phenominal...I just can't get over how beautiful he is, and you got to touch him!

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  2. Beautiful butterflies!

    We've had to "hatch" today. It's amazing to watch something that looked dead come to life!

    Blessings to you!

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  3. Beautiful pictures! We love butterflies here too. Keep up the good work. Take care and God bless.

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  4. What beautiful pictures! Butterflies are always so neat. Nice post! Happy Wednesday! ~Amy

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  5. That's amazing!! Whenever I see butterflies out and around... I think of one of my former co-workers... HUGE butterfly fan. HUGE!!

    Makes me want to call her, too...now. Thanks for stirring up "more" fond memories and dear friends to reconnect with. ;)

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  6. This is sooo cool. Remind us when it's time to look for the chrysalis.
    Blessings,
    Carol

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  7. Each spring we would raise Painted Lady butterflies in our Special Ed classroom. We would let them flutter around the room as they would light on the students. We found if we dipped our finger in sugar water they would sit there an slurp it up. They will go dormant it too cold but will come back to life after warming up. Their life expectancy wasn't very long so we would always 'set them free' before the Grimm Reaper visited.

    Have a blast!

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  8. How INCREDIBLE!!! So WONDERFUL to observe the Creativity of our GREAT God up close!!! What a wonderful lesson for your children and how precious to share these things together. *LOVE* the pics!!

    Blessings,
    Camille

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  9. Love butterflies. My Grandma used a butterfly as an example for me to understand the Easter message as a small child. I put one out every Easter.

    Found your blog from Jackie's. I have found Big Lot's always has Zote. If you can't find it, let me know on my blog and I will be more than willing to get it and send it to you. It is 80cents a bar.

    I grabbed your button and put it on my blog.

    Have a wonderful day.

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  10. How neat! The kids will remember this for years!

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  11. I think you may just be one of the coolest moms I know. How fun is that? Raising butterflies! Oh how amazing. What a fun experience for the kidos. Thanks for sharing!

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  12. Wow - what a wonderful experience for your children - & a great science lesson as well! Your pictures are absolutely beautiful.

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  13. So beautiful! I love butterflies, they fascinate me.

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  14. That is SO cool! I love this time of the year. Butterflies. I wonder if DK would do a science project with me? Probably not, huh?

    Love it.

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