I must say, having this butterfly garden has been an amazing experience. It's weird to say that about something you buy off the TV, for your kids. But it's true. This is worth every penny!
We learned that butterfly caterpillars do not "spin" a cocoon. Moths do that. What actually happens is that the caterpillar has been periodically shedding his skin as he grows, and with the last shedding, the chrysalis is exposed. It is literally the last layer of the caterpillar's skin. We watched those caterpillars closely and never could see that process actually happening. But one time we looked it would be a caterpillar hanging quietly from the ceiling, and the next time we checked, it was a chrysalis. Amazing!
We then carefully transferred the chrysalides to the larger enclosure. And waited.
After about ten days, they began to hatch. We actually got to see two of the butterflies being born! I was amazed that we did not kill any.
James was braver then me: he let the kids take a few of the butterflies out of the cage.
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