Butterflies

Each year, in the Springtime, my parents purchase caterpillars from www.butterflynursery.com .  The kids love watching them form their chrysalises and emerge as butterflies.  One year, somehow the chrysalises got damaged (could have been our faults...I'm pretty sure Cal was a toddler that year and he could very well have bumped them causing bruising)  As a result, when the butterflies emerged, some had damaged wings.  It was really sad, BUT it caused them to stick around in the yard for a few days.  Mia was so excited to wake up in the morning and find her butterflies still there.  And again when she got home from school.  That part was really neat! 

These are pics from a few years ago.  (2009)

See how the wings are bent....yea not supposed to be that way!  But Mia loved it! (2008)

This year, we had 8 caterpillars.  6 have just formed their chrysalises, 2 more to go.  We're watching them daily.  It shouldn't be too long now until we have new butterflies!

This is the most recently formed chrysalis.  It's light in color and not totally formed yet.

These 5 here have been in their chrysalis for a couple days now.  They are starting to get shiny spots and will darken with time.  Once they are very dark and look shriveled, it will be about time to emerge!