Three butterflies emerged successfully from their transformation chambers and were set free to investigate the garden flowers. One failed to survive the intensive metamorphosis - the cocoon changing colour then starting to shrivel. That is a success rate of 60% (remembering one of the five was eaten), which isn't great, but I suspect it is not much different in the wild.
We started with a caterpillar and we ended with a butterfly. The colours are
different, the legs and body shaped differently (we now have a clearly
defined head, thorax and abdomen) and a relatively huge pair of wings have erupted from nowhere. That is incredible, and it is not difficult to appreciate
that such a sophisticated process will inevitably break down on occasion.
Speaking of Metamorphosis, our tadpoles are doing extremely well. It is remarkable how well they thrive in a small amount of stagnant water. I only add food once a week and the algae, which has started to grow in these perfect conditions, provides the rest. Some of the slippery critters now have back legs and will soon complete their switch to a more terrestrial mode of existence. Incredible to think that amphibian metamorphosis involves a switch from gills to lungs! More on this soon.
I will leave you with a parting shot of one Painted lady butterfly, resting happily on our Wisteria, before braving the thermals and meeting the big, wide world head-on.
