Metamorphosis

For some time now, we've been raising butterflies. I'd like to tell you that we trekked through the woods, found some caterpillars and brought them home, but the truth is I placed an order online for Painted Lady larvae and they arrived in the mail a few days later.

We've had fun watching them change from caterpillars into butterflies, and we've learned a bit too.

Here are our butterfly pupae:
Here is the adult Painted Lady butterfly. He (or she) is eating sugar water and mango with its proboscis, which curls up when not in use. We actually saw that! Butterflies have tastebuds in their feet and antennae.

She read about butterfly tastebuds in Crinkleroot's Guide to Butterflies & Moths, but she already knew that. I did not.

Releasing our butterflies into the wild (believe me, the suburbs can get pretty wild).

She was eager to release them this year, as opposed to last year's tears. She's growing up. I myself am in strict denial about releasing my butterfly into the wild. But, as Jamie Lee Curtis says, "Just hold on tight, till you have to let go" (Where Do Balloons Go?).