Caterpillar to Butterfly ??

The girls were fighting over the fact that DD1 had a frog in her bug catcher the other day and DD2 didn't, so in the end we found a very furry caterpillar in the garden and told her she could have that.

So we've had it a couple of days, went to MIL's last night, come home today and tonight DD1 brings me the bug catcher and asks where DD2's caterpillar is, can't find it then i notice a cocoon (Pupa?) stuck between some of the blades of grass.

Now it looks quite soft, not at all hard, a little like spider webs all entwined.

So what now, does it 'need' anything to become a butterfly, a certain temp or environment etc??? i would love if we could have it emerge for the girls :)

Well we have a cocoon sitting under our trampoline at the moment :lol:

DS1 and DH noticed him or her the other day. The caterpillar was sticking out of the cocoon at the time. Next morning, the cocoon was shut. DS1 took it into school the next day for show and share under strict instructions to bring it home that night.

The caterpillar must not have liked being disturbed so broke out, not completeley. We put him back under the trampoline and he wriggled about, I thought the birds would come and eat him.
Next morning he was all shut up again, clever little thing.

So to cut a long story short, I asked DS1 how long it would take for him/her to turn into a butterfly and he said two weeks or there abouts. He knew as he had just bought home a take home reader not along ago about this whole process :)

So it needs nothing but to be left alone an do it's thing I am hoping, will let you know in two weeks :pray:

Well, our little caterpillar is poking his head out during the day and eating his way around under the trampoline dragging his cocoon with him, he is getting very big. He sews himself in at night. This is amazing to watch, I had my neigbours in today to have a look, they were fascinated.

Can't wait to see what is going to happend in a couple of weeks. I got my Very Hungry Caterpillar book out, it's just like the book :lol:

I found a book for 50c today called "my first nature book" and it has a section "from caterpillar to butterfly" :dance:

I was wondering, what color/texture is the cocoon?
in ours it's actually quite soft looking and white, almost like a very tight spider web or silk?
All the ones i've seen on the net look hard?

Will also put some fresh grass/leaves in there tomorrow nicase it's popping it's head out to eat.

It was quite a furry caterpillar. ;)

We have the exact sane thing here ATM. De even brought it inside thinking it was empty, and a few hours later I found it hanging from the scooter. Today it dragged itself across the lawn. We thought we knew where it had gone. Then we couldn't find it. We realized that dh had stood on it. I am really sad as I was loving our big fat 'Piller'

Our one is like a tight weave spider web also. Not hard at all. Like a blanket around the caterpillar. I thought I had lost him, then went out and had a look and he was around. Had some cousins over this morning and asked if they wanted to have a look, now I can't find it! Hopefully the birds haven't got him and he has just broke free again and gone further afield for food.

An update :)

Still going! The caterpillar is still in his cocoon. He comes out most days and eats and then sews himself back up at night.
I am thinking this may take the whole winter :lol:
He is getting very very fat. A couple of friends think he is going to be a moth rather than a butterfly...only time will tell.

Ours was left outside and the bug catcher froze to the table, pretty sure it won't make it, it's not growing.


Sent from my iPhone, more than likely while I should be doing something else!

the environment shouldnt matter

they shouldnt be coming out of the cocoon to eat ..... they stay in the cocoon for two weeks or there about ..... if its a butterfly.... moths are different though....

Well, I have found out what our little friend is :) Went to Science Works the other day and they had one on display!
It's called a Saunders Case Moth..so this little friend can hang around for 6mths. I have had a look around google and some people keep them as pets!
He/she is still around.