Metamorphosis

Remember when I mentioned Aubree's pet, Boo-Boo the caterpillar? Well, a lot has changed in the last week. For starters, Boo-Boo was re-named "Zoomee" the day after we found him. And the day after that, Zoomee's brother (dubbed "Russia") came to live with us too. See, that's the problem with pets. Things never stay simple. Once we had two caterpillars, we needed a bigger "cage." Two caterpillars eat a LOT and they poop even more. Aubree's interest waxed and waned, but I spent untold hours staring at these silly yet fascinating little creatures.

When I found Russia, he was HUGE. It didn't take long before he "pooped his last poop," found a special spot under a twig, and turned into this:
See the thin, white, silky string holding the caterpillar to the twig? Pretty cool, eh? A couple days later, Zoomee followed the same pattern. Here's a picture of him before turning into his chrysalis:
Now, both caterpillars (ideal pets at this point) are turning into Black Swallowtail butterflies. I read somewhere that while inside the chrysalis, their bodies turn to liquid and reform. In another week or so, hopefully Russia will break free, hang upside down for a few hours, then be ready to be released into the backyard - just as Aubree prayed. I'll make sure to take pictures.