Butterflies

The week of Ava's birthday a special gift from Papa & Nonna Bowling arrived in the mail. It was a butterfly kit. It came with 10 butterfly eggs and a butterfly home. We were all excited for this gift and the opportunity to watch the butterflies life cycle. The eggs shortly hatched into caterpillars that ate and got bigger. After a week the caterpillars formed chrysalis. Then a couple weeks later the beautiful butterflies emerged. We kept the butterflies for a few weeks until it warmed up today. We have been feeding the butterflies fruit and sugar water. Ava has been helping Rich feed the butterflies each day.

Today we decided it was time to release them. The weather was perfect and they seemed ready. Ava opened the top of the home and a couple butterflies flew right out. It took a little longer and some help for the rest of them to leave their home. Ava did not want to touch the butterflies. She just enjoyed watching Rich and I help them find their way to the flowers in our backyard. The complete journey was a lot of fun to watch and a great learning experience.

ChrysalisAva using a little dropper to feed the butterflies sugar water.Ava releasing the butterflies. Right next to her head on the right side is a little orange blob that is a butterfly.

Rich trying to get Ava to put a butterfly on her hand.

Ava trying to blow on the butterfly on the orange to encourage it to fly off.

Ava watching a butterfly.

Rich putting one of the butterflies on the flowers in our peas.

Me holding a butterfly. They really liked to stay on our fingers.Rich holding a butterfly.