Thanks to Google, we identified the critter as a black swallowtail caterpillar (affirmed by their documented attraction to dill plants). The article mentioned that once a caterpillar's chrysalis is formed, it could either hatch in a couple weeks or it could potentially winter inside the chrysalis for several months - something I read over, but didn't necessarily consider happening. (Narrator: She should have considered this possibility.)
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| (caterpillar is at the far right of the bug house) |
As luck (or Amazon's timing) would have it, we only just missed getting the caterpillar in the butterfly habitat before it built its chrysalis. Instead, it formed it in the little bug house...with the tiny door...which lead to plenty of late-night anxiety for me. What if the butterfly couldn't get out of the house once it emerged?! What if it emerged and harmed itself trying to fly around in there?! What if we have to demolish our beloved bug house just to set the butterfly free?! I tried to put these thoughts to rest and know that we would cross that bridge when we came to it.
It stayed here for a long time anchoring itself, at which point I knew we were too late to transfer it to the butterfly habitat.
Perhaps you, too, can see the big white spot at one end of the caterpillar? It reminded me of a spider web material.
Meanwhile, the chrysalis just hung there - in the bug house (with the door open)...in the butterfly habitat(the size of a clothes hamper)...in our dining room (by a window, per the advice of a friend and creature expert). We checked it daily for a few weeks. The weeks turned into more weeks which turned into months during which we were maybe checking it once or twice, and mostly only when we had to move it when company came, etc.
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| 9/19/25 |
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| 9/20/25 |
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| 9/29/25 |
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| 10/11/25 This was the day I further researched the part about it staying in there till the next spring. |
And then...
We were getting ready to head out the door one morning this week, and by the grace of God, I happened to catch a glimpse of movement out of the corner of my eye. I had no reason, really, to be in that corner of the dining room on that day and at that time, but I am so glad I was. There was a butterfly in there! I immediately opened the habitat to make sure that tiny bug house door was open. The movement spurred the butterfly into action and with some finagling/tipping, it safely crawled out of the house and into the habitat. Crisis averted. Phew.
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| The empty chrysalis was not extracted in tact, so this is the best picture I have of it. It had not grown, or anything, since it was formed. It maybe even shrank...? |
Yes, we are a little disappointed we didn't get to see it all happen. We had been gone almost the whole day prior, so I'm not sure how long it had been since it emerged. But also - nearly all interest had been lost and no one had been checking on it with any regularity, so it is to be expected we missed the big moment. I'm just choosing to believe it happened at nighttime, and we wouldn't have caught it, anyway. 😉
Of course, upon its discovery, a butterfly photoshoot promptly commenced. Of course, the pictures through the mesh, etc. are terrible quality and don't do it justice, at all. Of course, I'm still going to share them. 😁
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| Go figure, Jacob was gone the morning we discovered it, but he was very surprised and delighted upon his return! |
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| See the little curled-up proboscis?! |
The butterfly was very still for at least twenty-four hours, moving its wings only occasionally. It did crawl around some, but from what I could tell, it never partook of the sugar water-soaked sponge, banana slice, or selection of flowers we provided for its consumption. Lydia believes otherwise. 😏
At this point, I had (and still have!) so many questions:
- How was it not just a dried up, "crispy" (Lydia's word) thing after all that time?
- How did those big, beautiful wings fit in that itty-bitty living space? (😉🧞♂️)
- How did the butterfly know it was time to come out (I realize it has something to do with circadian rhythms or something, but still!)?
- How did it have any energy to not only emerge, but use its body afterward before/without consuming anything?
- How does this happen in the wild?!?!? How does a tiny chrysalis stay safe and secure the WHOLE WINTER and most of spring? And THEN - how does the butterfly stay safe (and secure!) while it dries its wings for a whole day's time?
All these, and more, have been speculated about in our home...and will likely continue to be. I know we could do research and potentially find some answers, but mostly, we're just excited to ask God when we get to Heaven. There are so many everyday miracles occurring in and around us; what a privilege it was to get to experience this one so very up-close. What wonder and awe it instilled in our little family and the friends who were along for the ride, as well (namely, my weekly piano students), and perhaps most of all, what wonder and awe it instilled in me. I truly can't wrap my mind around this process, and then to think about allllll the systems and cycles and life and rhythms God has created!? It's just so truly amazing.
Based on our research, and the butterfly obviously becoming more active, we did set it free after a couple days in its cozy habitat. It was not easy for everyone, but we talked about how and why it was necessary and good. Thankfully, the loss of the butterfly was assuaged a bit by the discovery of a baby deer in our backyard the very same day.
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| #deerdiaries, perhaps? 😉 |
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| We actually weren't sure it was alive upon discovery, but then the mama came back and all was well. Phewww. 😬 |
I'll leave you with this cheesy, but genuine, prayer:
Thank you, Lord, for sending Jesus, so that we can emerge from our crispy chrysalises of sin and spread our beautiful wings, showing Your glory to those around us before joining You in Heaven. (Thank you, also, that the baby deer was alive.)
Appreciatively and awe-fully,
Kensy
Favorites of the day:
just some quality time with this girl
❤️
