Apparently I wasn't busy enough before....
Aug. 9th, 2003 04:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kayre.... I'm now the proud possessor of two Monarch caterpillars, and two Monarch eggs.
My sister is a naturalist, and in recent years has become an expert on the Monarch butterfly. The kidlet spends a week with her most summers, and so has been educated on the lifecycle of the Monarch. So it was natural that, on our walks, we started watching for milkweed plants (where Monarchs lay their eggs, and the only food source for Monarch caterpillars). We mostly were looking for a source for seed, as we intend to start a patch at home (yes, we're going to plant a weed on purpose). My sister asked us to also check for eggs and let her know how many we found. While doing that, we found two almost full grown caterpillars, and brought them home. This was also my sister's suggestion, and the kidlet was happy to cooperate. As long as we feed them, they'll do fine at our house, and will be in no danger from predators.
So now we have to keep doing my walking, because we need fresh-picked milkweed leaves twice a day for the next several weeks (longer if the eggs hatch). Maybe I can find some milkweed plants along the edges of the fairgrounds, or the drive back and forth? Otherwise we'll just have to make time to get to the park, somehow.
My sister is a naturalist, and in recent years has become an expert on the Monarch butterfly. The kidlet spends a week with her most summers, and so has been educated on the lifecycle of the Monarch. So it was natural that, on our walks, we started watching for milkweed plants (where Monarchs lay their eggs, and the only food source for Monarch caterpillars). We mostly were looking for a source for seed, as we intend to start a patch at home (yes, we're going to plant a weed on purpose). My sister asked us to also check for eggs and let her know how many we found. While doing that, we found two almost full grown caterpillars, and brought them home. This was also my sister's suggestion, and the kidlet was happy to cooperate. As long as we feed them, they'll do fine at our house, and will be in no danger from predators.
So now we have to keep doing my walking, because we need fresh-picked milkweed leaves twice a day for the next several weeks (longer if the eggs hatch). Maybe I can find some milkweed plants along the edges of the fairgrounds, or the drive back and forth? Otherwise we'll just have to make time to get to the park, somehow.
