R.I.P. Stripey

Poor Stripey didn't make it. He got himself into the upside down "j" position to start making his cocoon and his insides liquified but then suddenly he stopped moving. And a hole opened up in his head and all his insides started to leak out. ICK. So after G went to sleep I removed him from the jar. G hasn't asked where he is and I'm not about to start that kind of conversation with a 3 year old. We still have Little in the jar and Zebra and Glitter outside. Hopefully they'll all make it another week!

meet "zebra" and "glitter". zebra is in the process of forming his chrysalis and glitter already has. both on the arm of the porch swing. and we have little and stripey inside. it feels a bit like Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom with that and bats and the whole neighborhood's cats and dogs and the hummingbirds. I'm waiting for the llamas and lions to show up! I wish we could just get rid of the 'squitoes so we could stay outside and enjoy it a bit more without being eaten alive.

Caterpillars

So my research has determined that monarch butterflies only spend about 2 weeks as caterpillars before they form chrysalises [which is a relief because I thought I might have stressed him out and caused him to enter hibernation early - which would lead to his demise when he hatched early and it was winter]. So it looks like Little was set to begin changing. And changed he has. According to resources, he will spend about 2 weeks in his cocoon, the cocoon will darken about 24 hours before he emerges. So now we wait. Hopefully in 2 weeks we'll have a butterfly to set free.

This whole thing makes me think of the book Hope for the Flowers. I even tried to name him "Stripe" but G wasn't having it. His caterpillar is LITTLE, no questions! But I don't think G is quite ready to hear that book. He would miss all the philosophy. Of course, he might enjoy it just as a good book. I think I'll read it again and see if it would make a good story or if it's too long.

cocoons

more cocoon pix

little no longer

"little" didn't last long. we caught him yesterday and he's already made a cocoon. anyone know anything about pupating caterpillars? off to the library for me!