And Then There's a Butterfly...

Remember on New Year's day my daughter and I found a butterfly that seems to have just gotten out of its chrysalis?

As I went back around, my daughter called me to show this little butterfly that looks like it recently emerged out from its cocoon. It stayed there for quite a while and was not bothered by our closeness as we took a photo of it.

_{Photo first shared here.}

As beautifiul as it may be, I have never really witnessed a butterfly actually coming out of its cocoon. I remember as a child, we got a caterpillar that we "took care" of, and witnessed it made its cocoon and all... I was so excited to see the butterfly! Then, one morning I woke up, the cocoon was empty. The butterfly already flew away and I missed that magical moment...

Today, it happened!

The Little Man and I were busy playing the piano when my eldest noted that the "butterfly was coming out" from its chrysalis and it fell down the bean bag.

What?! Inside the house?

How?!

Then I remembered the husband brought one inside. I honestly thought it was an empty chrysalis but apparently, I was wrong. LOL. He brought it inside as it fell on the ground and it might just be crushed by passersby. And of course, to be able to see it develop into a butterfly.

My initial reaction? I freaked out. What if the butterfly flies around inside the house? How will we be able to shoo it outside?

Well, apparently, the butterfly does not come out of the chrysalis strong and mightly, and ready to take off. It's a very vulnerable and delicate insect that couldn't fly (yet).

_{The delicate new butterfly.}

Fly high, butterfly!

Of course, we cannot keep this beautiful insect indoors. It has to go where it belongs. We assisted it on a piece of paper and put it outside the window.

Can you see how its wings are still not fully opened but instead cramped like wet paper? It stayed there for a few hours. It was still there when the husband came home from work. He then transferred it to the rose bush outside at the garden.

Learning Opportunity

The homeschoolers in us took this as a learning opportunity to discuss the life cycle of a butterfly.

We've seen it develop from larva to pupa, and seeing it emerge as a beautiful adult butterfly is an added bonus for us!