We Have Mariposas! The Nature Study Comes to Fruition

they came from broken homes

they "bled" so that they might live

ohhh! the hesitation!

feeling for windspeed before flight

quite a different look on the underside

I'm so proud! My kids were beaming yesterday and today, and it's quite possible I was more excited than the two of the combined multiplied by about 7,529!

I truly thought only one would make it. Lo and behold -- FIVE made it! Cinco mariposas fabulosas! In about two weeks or so, we managed to nurture five gorgeous Painted Lady butteflies and set them free in nature.

This is one of the funnest things I've done with my kids in a long, long time!

Painted Lady Butterflies: A Painting in Progress

It's been just about a week now, and progress has quickly been made in the development of the newest adventure, which, in this case, is a scientific observation of nature magically contained to the four walls of my home.

Day 5 - More Webbing and Some Growth

Day 6 - Plump and Hanging

Day 7 - Cocoons!

Notice the one cocoon that is in the middle of the jar, not hanging from the lid. My Eldest is sure it's dead. She's convinced it fell. I contend it's alive because it's floating in the silken web. When removing it from the jar, I was able to keep that webbing intact and transfer it to the treehouse, which might or might not be a mortal sin since the instructions clearly say to remove as much as the fress and webbing as possible.
The treehouse is nestled in a cool, dim, still area of our living room so we can all enjoy watching the Painted Ladies develop. If, God willing, they blossom as butterflies, The Girls set them free in the backyard and let them each go lay her 500 eggs and fly around the world ushered by her 10,000 eyes.

Painted Lady Butterflies - An Exploration of Science

I love the word metamorphosis. I love even better the meaning of the word. It has many layers both literal and figurative.

My kids love butterflies. Since we speak Spanglish in my house, it's not uncommon for us to say "mariposa". Something about "mariposa" that rolls more melodically off the tongue than "butterflies", which is filled with such hard consonants.

A gift that My Eldest received for her post-surgery recovery was a Butterfly Habitat. I've always been jealous of her because each year of school so far, her teachers have had this in the classroom. Each year, My Eldest raves about how cool it is to watch, and she would give me daily updates.

Now, it's our turn to have one in OUR house! I might be more excited about it that My Eldest is! Shhhh.

So, with that being said, I thought you might like to follow along with us as the caterpillars pig out, wrap up, and eventually blossom.

Day 1, July 10th

This morning, Day 4

The silk is webbing the inside of the container. It's hard to tell by this picture, but they're eating and pooping a lot (the sand-like specks are poo)! They are also longer, fatter and fuzzier!

I'll post pictures over the next two to three weeks as the Painted Lady butterflies develop.

(I'm going to photograph the next few at the window where Day 1's is taken. Day 4's has a screen on the window and doesn't allow for as much highlighting inside their home. )