Lovely Life

About a month ago, we became the proud owners of 6 wee larvae. They arrived in a tiny plastic case filled with leaves. We fed them organic cabbage (sadly, the amount of pesticide on normal cabbage is said to exterminate them--as it should, I guess). And fed them and fed them and fed them. They were "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" times 6.

Wowza! What excitement to see them grow and expand. Unfortunately, one didn't make it through the first week. Another, always much smaller, died just before metamorphosis to pupa. But 4 attached themselves, made a chrysalis and spent 10 days transforming.

3 out of 4 have turned into butterflies and the boys couldn't be happier if it were the birth of a baby. Four of us stood around cheering each shift and wiggle as the first butterfly emerged.

Now the real test of our habitat, will they lay eggs and repeat the cycle? The boys have friends that are willing to take extra larvae off our hands. Hmmm, maybe I should give up writing and farm cabbage butterflies.