The life of a caterpillar

While me and the kids were in Utah for the week, we looked and looked for a caterpillar to bring home. Sadly, we didn't ever find one. A few days after we got home my mom called and said they found one. She said she was going to mail it to us, but then she worried it was against the law, so they just decided to come down instead. They went out and found 2 more cute little guys. So the came for the weekend armed with 3 glass bottles full of milk weed and caterpillars! The kids thought it was the coolest thing to see them just walking around in there.



That night we noticed one of them already hanging in a "j" which means its getting ready to turn. (this isn't the first one, but the only one I got a picture of). This first one, was just hanging from one of the leaves. We had only ever seen them hang from the top of the lid, so this was new for all of us.

**Not the greatest picture, but you can kinda see it hanging from the lid**

This is the best picture we could get of the chrysalis phase. They have always turned during the night so we have never been able to see it in action. We woke up Friday morning and it was all done! The are bright green, then they turn black when they are ready for the butterfly to come out.

Isn't she pretty!?! The first one turned into a butterfly on Saturday morning. Kasey and Kason were awake and I was still in bed just listening to them chat. When they finally noticed the butterfly I heard Kason say "I better go and get mommy!" He was pretty excited to let it fly away.

Our last 2 turned into butterflies just yesterday. Both of them in 1 day. This is a picture of Kason telling Jayli all about how it started out as a caterpillar, then into a chrysalis, then this butterfly. He's got the whole process down.


Jayli didn't really care where it came from, she just loved the butterflies. When we first let it go it kinda flew at her so it scared her for a second, then she was sad, and wanted it back in her bottle.

Ever since we have let them all go, Kason has been concerned about how they are going to make it all the way back to Grandmas house because after all, they are Utah butterflies now!!

It was so fun to watch this process with the kids. Even Kasey had never seen it before, so it was lots of fun!