The miracle of life

A few weeks ago we left our home and went on holiday. Our swan plant was huge. And looked amazing. I wondered if this year we'd get any caterpillars? We didn't last year.

Today this is what it looks like....

It is just about stripped bare. We can now see through to the neighbours house, and there are only a few branches left with leaves at the back!

So what is doing this to our poor swan plant? You guessed it....

Hundreds of these beautiful critters. That is just one little bit of our plant and see how many of them are on it? And how big and fat they are? Yep, they're sure enjoying our swan plant. Yeah!

Just had to take a photo of this little guy. Too funny! Too cute.

But this is what really got me today.

We had friends over this afternoon and Sam is really 'into' bugs at the moment. So we showed him the plant. As we went over Matt and I realised there were a heap of chrysalis' that weren't there the other day. Then I saw this one. But when I saw it it was still 1/4 caterpillar. So we got to see it finish off its cacoon. It was one of the most incredible things I've seen from nature in quite a while. I was blown away by mother natures awesomeness (is that a word? LOL). Unfortunately it was so quick there was no time to get my camera. I would have missed it otherwise. But wow. What a treat.

We actually took some caterpillars over to Granny the other day for her plants. She only had 3 on hers. Plus we gave some to Sam to take home. Along with a little bit of food.

Plus Matt has his ones sitting in their container ready to take to daycare tomorrow. He has also been really interested in them, and even took one down on his jumper when we went to feed the ducks this afternoon. Luckily the ducks didn't get it, Matt looked after it very well.

I was so excited by what I saw today I just had to share.

T

Comments

[Trace]

They will eat a bit of pumpkin too Trina, if you find your running out of food. Did you know the plants are posionous? We keep one at work to share the life cycle but it has to be kept in the kitchen and brought out to show the children - I wouldn't think there'd be much risk as four years old don't generally stick leaves etc in their mouth's, however their younger siblings are apt to!

[Jane]

Apparently Kung Fu panda said "awesomeness" so it must be a word.

[mandyb]

wowsa that is ONE HUGE tree... our one at kindergarten only does it every second year too... as for the leaves being poisonous one of our scientist parents said it wasn't the leaves, it is the pods- and as long as you take them off they are all ok!!!!! and as for the pumpkin- in my experience- they dont normally chrysalises when they eat it - we use the 'natural selection' process
great pics!!!!

[Hannah]

Very exciting! It's such a neat experience for kids to watch that whole cycle of life. I know my boys enjoyed it!

[Vicki]

Now they are very hungry caterpillars! LOL. Its always a fascinating process - imagine all those butterflies.

[Bronwyn]

Wow so gorgeous they are fascinating aren't they

[Jo]

How fab! Last year a lot of our caterpillars got gobbled up by the birds! This year I plan to have a scarecrow or some other deterrent to give them a better chance!

[topkatnz]

Wow all the butterfies .... amazing how you had no caterpillers last year ... they must have spread the word!!LOL

[Penny]

Yeah pumpkin isn't that great for them. Apparently moth plant (the noxious weed!) can work but I've never tried it myself.

I relocated a bunch last year but like MandyB I mostly let nature take it's course! The wasps get a few and so do the mantids.

[Cindy]

How cool are they !? TFS

[Mrs Frizz]

Fascinating ... don't know too much about this ... made for interesting reading. Thank you for sharing.