Welcome Poopa!

The caterpillars have now entered the pupal stage. Danielle keeps getting the term "pupa" incorrect, though, and it comes out more like "poopa". (Chrysalis doesn't come out quite right either.) I guess the oozing amber colored liquid I saw last night didn't have much to do with the chrysalis, although I don't really know what it was.

The transformation is really interesting. I was watching a caterpillar last night when its abdomen started to contract. It was making very slight movements, but something was happening. When I looked again an hour later, half the caterpillar was covered in the chrysalis. As near as I can tell, they kind of swell up and the chrysalis starts forming at the head and moves up toward the bottom, which is secured to the lid of the container. I think their heads pop off - kind of like molting - because something black and fuzzy (that looks a lot like their heads) is either hanging on part of the chrysalids or is on the bottom of the cup underneath them. Of course, I could be totally wrong, too. I can't catch any of them in the process.

As we were watching the chrysalids tonight, we saw one twitch a couple times. Apparently this is a natural instinct designed to keep predators away. Some types of insects actually make a clicking noise while in their chrysalis. This really was for the kids, but I think I'm enjoying it just as much. There is one caterpillar that hasn't completely changed yet. They will be in the pupal stage 7-10 days before emerging as butterflies. The completed chrysalids are golden in color so far and are kind of pretty. I guess they get darker as they get older. And I'm sure that's more than you wanted to know!

In other news, the kids started swim lessons today. I have wanted to enroll the kids in lessons for a couple years, but I just never got around to it. Today we finally started. The kids were nervous at first but ended up really enjoying themselves. They aren't in the same class but their classes are at the same time. They have lessons all this week. We also signed up for lessons next week, too. (Danielle goes to church with the 2 girls on her right.)

This afternoon the kids painted butterflies for a game for Danielle's birthday party. We also made butterfly hair clips, which Danielle is modeling. (Thanks, Mom R.) She's agreed to allow me to position it a little better for her party. She's so excited. No pressure.