So at last count, last update here I had three huge mongo Black Swallowtail (BST) caterpillars, and three tiny bebe caterpillars. I also had one Luna Moth cocoon. Things have changed.
Last Wednesday, we had mom’s night at my friend Kelly’s house. Besides having a blast with my crew, l left with four monarch caterpillars and one tiny BST caterpillar. Kelly has been rearing butterflies and caterpillars for years, but she is getting her kitchen entirely remodeled and couldn’t take these littles in right now. So I took them home!
This is what they looked like last Wednesday when I brought them home.
This is how they look today, a week later.
They are getting so big! I will be running around getting milkweed to feed them multiple times a day soon, as they will start munching through the leaves faster and faster. Then they will go into chrysalis! Monarchs have a beautiful chrysalis so I am excited to see them.
As for the black swallowtails, we have all but one in chrysalis! Their process is a bit different. They find a spot, and it happens slowly, where a monarch is sort of quicker and more explosive. I took pictures at four intervals of one of the BST’s going into chrysalis, and it is pretty neat. They pick a spot, glom on, make a silk string sling, and then sort of turn into the chrysalis slowly. I am not sure of the science behind it but it is crazy to watch.
As for our Luna Moth cocoon – it hatched! They only live a few days, and have no mouths. They only live long enough to reproduce and that is it.
We kept it in the enclosure for a day or two then released it on the night of the full Strawberry moon – it just felt appropriate for a Luna Moth. It was also International Fairy Day, and I was thinking – if it were hundreds of years ago, before scientific understanding of creatures, and I saw one of these moths, I could see myself thinking I was maybe seeing a fairy. A little fanciful, but can you see it too?
So as of today, we have four hungry monarch caterpillars, five BST in chrysalis, and one BST baby that is growing! I am hoping that by next Wednesday’s update I will have a few more chrysalis hanging around!
If you missed the first post, you can find it here!
Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs.. 
This is so exciting! I love it!
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I am so glad that you are enjoying it!
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Beautiful photos! What fun you are having, and thanks for sharing.
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Thanks Laurel-Rain! I have to admit, I loved that Luna Moth! So pretty!
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bugs…., pretty bugs but, still bugs.
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LOLOL!!! Wait until you come over next time, we will have even more bugs…
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They are born without mouths???? That is so interesting. & sad.
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Isn’t it odd? It makes me sad too.
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Ah oh, at the risk of dreaming about your butterflies again, I am popping in for the latest update. Cannot believe how tiny these caterpillars start out. I would have missed them all together. Good gravy, they waste no time growing. Guess Eric Carle was onto something with The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
I feel sad for that sweet moth. What a sad existence…barely an existence at all. If they only exist to reproduce what is the point? Sad little life. Love its delicately curled wings. Very fanciful and fairylike indeed.
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Lol! I can’t get over it either! I just brought in a few eggs, and one hatched. The hatchling caterpillar is seriously so small I can’t even really get a good photo! They grow like crazy. Eric Carle must have spent some time with caterpillars and butterflies, for sure.
That moth. I know right? It is so utterly beautiful and otherworldy, and so bizarre that it doesn’t eat or drink as a moth. It’s caterpillar version is not attractive either. Lol. Barbara Kingsolver has a book, The Prodigal Summer, where she talks a lot about the Luna Moth. That book is fantastic for other reasons beyond that, but the moth bits stick out to me.
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