Getty Owl Foundation

Flight of the Butterflies

From Kate:

Getty received a very nice gift in the mail from a very nice person a few months ago. It was an Insect Lore cup of caterpillars. Fascinating really, it is clear cup with 5 caterpillars that hang out all together until their elegant transformation into butterflyhood. Every day I would show Getty how they were progressing. They started out really small and then over time boy did those guys get big! They just kept eating and eating and eating. Pretty soon it seemed as though they had no room to move. I had the cup secluded between some of Getty’s stuffed animals friends. The instructions told me to keep them in a cool spot so I thought if they were between her owl friends all would be good.

I kind of forgot about them for a few days and then I noticed that they had all quietly cocooned. Then I freaked, what now? So I elicited the help of some of my SMA mommies to help. “Oh now I need to move them all to the enclosed net, I see.” So Getty and I transitioned them to the net. A bit creepy, I was sure they would hatch in my hand.

Then you are just supposed to wait and let them transition. A week went by and nothing.  We were nearing the second week and I thought for sure they must not be hatching and then what was I supposed to tell Getty. 🙁

The next morning I did the usual routine of peeking in and I just about jumped through the ceiling, one had hatched. I ran to get Getty and I came back and another had hatched. Amazing! Then I brought over the net for Getty to watch the next three hatch. It was awesome. I am still so overwhelmed by how that all happens. To be something, cocoon, and then become something else? Not a bad gig. 🙂

So the big day was here, all the butterflies were happy and healthy and ready for their flight to freedom. Thank you again to our friend from Chicago, that was so kind to help Getty experience this entire process. It was fun for this mom as well. 🙂 Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGOdVUIUlpQ]