I am too tired to write a lot tonight, but I just wanted to share one of the most wonderful projects we have done for a while.  I am very grateful to the kind aunt and uncle who gave us an Insect Lore Butterfly Garden for Christmas (the one before last) and just sorry it took us so long to get round to redeeming the voucher.  We are now hooked and will have to do this every year!

The caterpillars were tiny when they arrived, but grew amazingly quickly.  Then they attached themselves to the top of the cup, formed a J shape and transformed into cocoons.  We nervously transferred them to the pop-up habitat (well alright, Suburban dad had the honour…) and worried over the cocoon that fell down during the process.  But nature is amazing, and after the trailblazer butterfly emerged on Sunday, within 24 hours the remaining four butterflies made it as well.  The children have loved watching them and the big three have drawn them.  Tiddler has been taking it all in too, and if he sees a picture of a butterfly he says “Tatdillar cocoon butter-ly!”