Grandchildren Learn About Caterpillars, Butterflies and Setting Them Free

Bobw235

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
Our grandchildren recently learned how caterpillars turn into butterflies. They had a glass jar with some holes in the top. They got to watch how over a few weeks the caterpillars made a cocoon and then during vacation, saw them turn into butterflies, and then it turns darkly humorous as our son put it:

Don’t know if you remember, but we ordered caterpillars. They started turning into butterflies just before holiday, so we had to take them with us. They all hatched out successfully. We had to release them into the wild. We took them with us to Drumlanrig Castle, which has beautiful gardens. We released four of the butterflies, leaving the last one. Sara had put it on a flower, but wanted to make sure it could fly since there was a tiny hole at the bottom of the wing. So she picked it up off the flower and then threw her hand up. The butterfly took flight, wonkily, but I think they all fly weird. It flew across a field, heading for a hedge. But, before it could get there, a small bird, which apparently had no wing trouble, swooped down much more gracefully and ate that poor butterfly. My hand shot to my mouth to stifle a stunned, horrified laugh. The kids were upset with me. It’s hard to explain to children why Daddy is laughing at the butterfly’s sudden slaughter.

(For reference, the kids are five and three.)
 

Aww. It is nature but hard to explain that to a young child. All that time spent caring for the butterflies and in a matter of seconds, it was a birds lunch. Too bad they had to see it.
 
Aww. It is nature but hard to explain that to a young child. All that time spent caring for the butterflies and in a matter of seconds, it was a birds lunch. Too bad they had to see it.

My son told me that the kids were mad at him for laughing. I think it just caught him by surprise how sudden it was. Yes, hard to explain to little kids how cruel nature can sometimes be.
 

I'm laughing too. Sentimentality and the food chain are sometimes incompatible concepts.
I'm sure that in time the grand kids will grow to appreciate daddy's sense of humour.
 

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