Buttahflies

What fun it has been to take on a few extra temporary pets the past few weeks - some Painted Lady caterpillars/butterflies.  Even better was how this coincided with Noah's butterfly events going on at his school.  These are the little buggars we ordered in the mail.

After a few days, they got fatter and more active and more gross by the minute.  For some reason, I couldn't look away!

So it was a good thing it didn't take long before the first few starting making their chrysalids.

Within another day or so, the rest had followed suit. 

Then came the nerve-wrecking part where you transfer the chrysalids to the butterfly net. This was a two man job with a third (Anna) standing nearby watching.  I use the term "watching" loosely ... considering how she covered both her eyes and cringingly cheered/moaned us on with, "I can't watch! I can't watch this!"

A week later, TAA DAA, our first Painted Lady butterfly emerged.  Boo on the fact that we missed the whole thing.

The next morning we had two butterflies ... also missing the second go-round.

And that afternoon, we had a third ... again, missing its grand entrance. I'll go ahead and let you know we witnessed not one of the rest coming out of their chrysalids, either.  Those things move fast apparently.

Then we had to leave town for our Fall Creek Falls trip.  Cindy, who pet-sit for us, was kind enough to text us letting us know all 6 of our butterflies were accounted for at last.  :) 

We hadn't gotten home from the trip more than an hour before we piled outside to set them free.

They needed a little coaxing at first.  Anna got that party started.

Then it was Noah's turn.

It was pretty to see them display their wings like this once we got them outside.  I guess they were adjusting to the temperature change?  

The last Painted Lady we almost didn't notice was still in the net. And then, poor thing, once it flew to the ground Chewie ATTACKED it.  We all screamed like he'd attacked Anna and he quickly backed off in shock.  Thank goodness, the butterfly wasn't harmed too badly.  He floundered and fluttered and took flight to the sky like the rest of the crew.

Anyway, like I said, it was way fun to observe their life cycle and grow them ourselves.  Truth?  I think I was more into it than the kids.  :}