Release

A final update on our butterflies: today we released them.

We simply unzipped the top of their cage and left it sitting on our patio table, in the sun. When we went back to check on them a couple of hours later, only one of the five had disappeared! The remaining four were still hanging out, so after snapping several photos, we offered them some encouragement by turning the cage on its side. One by one, A and I watched them find their way to the opening and soar off - over our roof! (I didn't realize butterflies could get that kind of altitude.) It was a pretty magical experience to share with my daughter - the entire caterpillar/butterfly transition, but especially today, being able to observe them up close and then watch them make their way into the world.

I liked this image best of all because you can see the proboscis - the little "straw" that butterflies use to drink nectar from a flower.