Metamorphosis...by Layla

The morning of Layla's birthday she found a caterpillar on our walk. She decided that she wanted to keep him and watch him turn into a butterfly. Sure, I'm always game for bringing home live insects to feed and nurture as a beloved pet. Did I just say that? Anyways, we made him a comfortable home with twigs and a variety of leaves hoping that one of them would be the type he likes to eat. Layla named him Chomper and he sat in our window sill day after day. Layla would periodically let him out of confinement to enjoy some fresh air a playtime outside. She would put him on her slide and watch him roll down, place him on her swing and give him a little push. I thought for sure ol' Chompers would never make it to the cocoon phase.





A few weeks later we discovered Chompers was gone! All that was left was a lonely old cocoon.

The cocoon got steadily darker each day and after a few weeks I came to the realization that poor Chompers was never going to fly. I assumed he was dead but he still sat in my window sill day after day. There must have been a part of me that thought he might live, maybe, or I just never got around to getting rid of the bug carcass that sat on my kitchen window sill.

Last week we had a wind storm and Chomper's home fell into my kitchen sink. When I went to pick it up in the morning I noticed the cocoon was split open. I couldn't believe my eyes! There in my hands staring up at me was the most beautiful moth, blech, yes moth I had ever seen. I yelled for Layla to come see. I could tell she was a bit disappointed at first that it wasn't a big beautiful monarch butterfly but she quickly accepted Chompers for what he was and we hustled him outside so he could test out his new wings.

Chompers refused to leave the bottle. We had to shake him out and then he just sat in the grass. After a nudge from Layla he took off in flight. It was amazing to watch him fly for the very first time after spending nearly 2 months in our kitchen in his various stages of life. So the story ends...or does it?

Later that night, the kids were sleeping and Greg and I went downstairs to the kitchen to get a drink. I made a joke about turning on the light to find Chompers back in the kitchen. Ha ha, we chuckled and then Greg turned around and THERE HE WAS! I don't know how he got back in, and I guess I can't be 100% sure that it was even him but it's not as if we get a lot of moths in our house. So perhaps it was just a coincidence but I think it was our good friend Chompers coming to the only home he knows. I told Greg to kill him (don't judge me) but he refused and so we let him be. Welcome to the family Chompy.

The next morning we found Chompers sleeping on Layla's blinds right by her head. She was so excited she prepared some food for him and showed him her barbie house which she thought could be his home. He stayed in her room for a few more days, and she tended to him like she would a pet. Sadly Chompers life ended yesterday. I'm not sure what happened but he was found lifeless in our bathroom beside the toilet. He is gone, but will never be forgotten.

Here's to you Chompers!

Layla and Chompers (look closely..he's on her nightlight on the white shelf)