Eliza Butterfly

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ATTENTION: This post is in English. For Polish version click here.

Today's post is about a butterfly.
I liked 'raising' a butterfly last year so much (long post about that here), that I decided to give it a try again. My husband and I decided to search gardening sections of several markets for parsley plants that would have either butterfly eggs or caterpillars on them. Finally, my DH found one plant with a small, green caterpillar and brought it home.

After a week of voracious eating of curly parsley leaves (seen in the background), the caterpillar resembled a small, fat, green sausage, and the very next day it formed a handsome chrysalis on our hibiscus plant.

Two weeks later, i.e. yesterday, she emerged as a beautiful female butterfly, which my DD named Eliza. On the photo below, you see Eliza right after she emerged from her coccoon - her wings all crumpled up and wet.

Approximately 45 min. later, her wings were nearly straightened.

About 2 hrs. after hatching, Eliza flew merrily to a nearby bush, sat there for a while and took off into the wide world. Generally, we had a fun and joyful experience raising a butterfly again.

Besides photos, I included a very short video of the butterfly sitting on my hand. I apologize for the poor quality, but I am not a professional photographer or a filmmaker. On top of that, Eliza was sitting on my left hand, I was trying to take photos and film the butterfly with my other hand, and listen to the numerous questions and comments from my DD.

Some people may not like the fact that I took the caterpillar home. However, the way I see it, it would have been probably disposed of at the store (maybe even destroyed), since the caterpillars destroy their merchandise (and believe me, their appetites are BIG). I could have left her in my garden, but then she would have been too tempting to the numerous birds present there. This way, I kind of gave her a temporary shelter. She did not suffer in any way, and I set her free as soon, as she was able to fly on her own.  Have a wonderful day everyone!