Sunday, May 13, 2007
The Moth Wrangler
Last month's warmer weather brought out a healthy crop of catepillars that caught the attention of Sam and his peers. Rounding up catepillars on the playground was a favorite activity. Sam quickly gathered a collection in his bug cage but we were concerned about keeping them fed.
This led to a little research on rearing catepillars that suggested it was only appropriate to collect them when you caught them in the act of eating. That way you know their prefered food. The good news is that each morning Sam would find a new batch on the rose bushes outside our kitchen window. He did a better job than any bird at cleaning off the bugs. In exchange I let him harvest some leaves to keep his herd healthy.
The number quickly outgrew his little bug cage, so we pulled our one gallon fish aquarium out of retirement and into a second career as a catepillar habitat. They went to work on the food he offered and after a few weeks the first cocoons started to appear. To my amazement, Sam then explained to me that they would be moths since moths make cocoons and butterflies make chrysalis.
And this week to our further amazement, the first "baby" moths (as he has dubbed them) started to emerge. It has been great fun because they have come at a pace of about one a day. The morning ritual now involves a quick check of the aquarium to see if another moth has emerged. If so, Sam dutifully takes their home outside to set the moth free. This after the first moth was set free in our kitchen and required rescue by cup. So far there's been 3 moths and we counted at least 6 cocoons.
This led to a little research on rearing catepillars that suggested it was only appropriate to collect them when you caught them in the act of eating. That way you know their prefered food. The good news is that each morning Sam would find a new batch on the rose bushes outside our kitchen window. He did a better job than any bird at cleaning off the bugs. In exchange I let him harvest some leaves to keep his herd healthy.
The number quickly outgrew his little bug cage, so we pulled our one gallon fish aquarium out of retirement and into a second career as a catepillar habitat. They went to work on the food he offered and after a few weeks the first cocoons started to appear. To my amazement, Sam then explained to me that they would be moths since moths make cocoons and butterflies make chrysalis.
And this week to our further amazement, the first "baby" moths (as he has dubbed them) started to emerge. It has been great fun because they have come at a pace of about one a day. The morning ritual now involves a quick check of the aquarium to see if another moth has emerged. If so, Sam dutifully takes their home outside to set the moth free. This after the first moth was set free in our kitchen and required rescue by cup. So far there's been 3 moths and we counted at least 6 cocoons.
# posted by ben @ 5/13/2007 
