Butterfly Release

Today we released our Painted Lady Butterflies to the world.  We'd been cultivating them from a science kit for a few weeks, having received the larvae, mixed the food media, let the larvae develop into big caterpillars, and then watching the chrysalids form and rest.  It was fascinating watching the chrysalids twitch at times like a restless dreamer, and also to see the beautiful dots of gold that adorned the pupae.  They looked so royally decorated.

All too soon, our beloved butterflies began to emerge from the chrysalids and we fed them sugar water.  As more and more individuals began to emerge, we ran out of room in our container, so we took them out into the open air of a warm June afternoon and released them!

Several of the butterflies landed on students or on the many dandelions nearby.  They were very friendly and students enjoyed their company and beauty!

There is scarcely a more beautiful moment than watching a butterfly lift into the air on graceful wings...ethereal yet very real, and only just beginning to realize its potential world...

** We had prepared little haikus and were working on melodies to accompany our little release celebration, but there simply wasn't time...our friends had to go.... we wish them well, always...  Butterfly wishes!