About two weeks ago, my boys captured a woolly caterpillar and placed it in a mason jar. These fuzzy caterpillars are non-stinging unlike the buck moth caterpillar we had in the spring. We noticed that the caterpillar really liked herbs and the green bean plants in the garden. Therefore we fed it sage and basil leaves for about 10 days.
We had a debate on whether the caterpillar would form a chrysalis or a cocoon. Remember if it turns into a moth it forms a cocoon and if it is going to be a butterfly it is called a chrysalis. At the time, I didn’t know what this particular caterpillar was. After researching what type of caterpillar we had, it looks like we will be raising a Virginia Tiger Moth!
The caterpillar formed a cocoon about 6 days ago. It should take about 2-3 weeks for the moth to emerge from it’s cocoon. It’s a pretty neat science project for the kids to watch! And the best part is, it’s totally free! So, if you see a caterpillar around, put it in a jar with some greens and see what happens.
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