Yesterday Laura reminded me that I promised to keep you posted on our butterflies, so here I am with that update.

The second chrysalis hatched sometime during the night two nights ago and Laura awoke to another beautiful creature quietly resting in it’s cage. She was eager to have him photographed and then to let him go, so we went to the front porch. After the photographs were done we encouraged the little guy (yes, another boy!) to fly away. But he wouldn’t go! He stayed and stayed. Finally Laura put him back in the cage for a while. Later she tried again to set him free, but he wasn’t interested. At one point I noticed Laura sitting on the front porch doing her school work with the butterfly just sitting on her knee.

We were all a little worried for him that he might not be able to get food soon enough if he didn’t go look for it. By evening he had finally been shaken loose and sent on his way.

The third caterpillar that Laura found didn’t survive to make his chrysalis. We don’t know why he died, but that makes us even more amazed at the success of the first two.

So, butterfly lessons are over for now. Next time you see a Monarch fluttering around, you can remember our little homeschool. And while you’re at it, see if you can tell if it’s a boy or a girl!