After the untimely demise of our pet moth, Chompers, we respectively put him to rest beneath a tree in our backyard. Layla decorated a coffin for him, dug the whole, sang him the saddest version of Happy Birthday you have ever heard and left him with a kiss and some flowers. Then she jumped on the bus and was off to school.
A few days later I spotted a big ol' green caterpillar on our driveway. I put him in Chomper's old digs and waited excitedly for Layla to get home.
When Layla arrived she immediately took him out in the backyard for a play. She named him Cactus and he now lives on our kitchen window sill. We are excited to have found a caterpillar that looks as if he may become a butterfly, rather than a moth (No disrespect intended Chompers RIP) .
From what I've been reading (I'm a nerd) your new caterpillar may chill out in a coccoon all through the winter and wait for spring to become an adult. That's kinda cool.
ReplyDeleteWow! So how am I supposed to tell if he's dead or just chillin'? And what if my nice warm climate inside makes him think it's summer and then he comes out and I have to keep a butterfly in my house until spring! Maybe I'm in over my head here. - Mary
ReplyDeletePets are a big commitment, Mare. If you can't handle that maybe you should stop getting them. The SPCA is full of butterflies that have been abandoned by their owners who realized they couldn't handle the responsibility. It's just so ignorant.
ReplyDeleteonce he comes out of the cocoon you've only got a couple weeks at best of butterfly. sorry.
ReplyDeleteI think I met Cactus' Alberta cousin. He was in my freakin' salad Anders made for me. We didn't stick around to see the metamorphosis.
ReplyDeleteSeriously!! Ugh! Had you eaten any of it? The salad, I mean, not the caterpillar. Oh that's just gross. lol
ReplyDelete-Mary
organic food, what can ya do. when I make sandwiches at work I have to pick out ladybugs from the lettuce. never came across a caterpillar though, I think I would probably scream.
ReplyDeleteI had eaten over half of the my lovely, organic salad. Caterpillar was unharmed. I stood up and screamed and said, "Anders! I'm going to die!" And then I felt like an idiot. It made a really big impression on my kids.
ReplyDeletethose comments are so funny - nice to see Jenny being 'girlie' in her male dominated family. I can see why Layla named him Cactus - he looks just like one. Good luck with raising your new butterfly.
ReplyDeleteLove the name. Sorry to hear about Chompers. He was a survivor...well, not really I guess.
ReplyDelete