Moth

Today was quite an emotional day for Julia.  She not only had an audition in the morning for her choir production and her very last basketball game of the season..... but she also released her pet moth.

Several weeks ago John came home with a very large, fast and furry caterpillar contained in a water bottle.  He had found it in one of the flower fields he was touring that day.  When he gave it to Julia she cried (literally) with delight.  She lovingly cared for this caterpillar feeding it different kinds of lettuce and spinach which he devoured at an alarming rate.  After days and days of ferocious eating and pooping the caterpillar (named Spike) slowed down a bit.  He started to create a sort of web on the side of his container.  Within the web he became very still and we noticed after a few hours that he had formed a chrysalis within the web.  We waited many days wondering if he had just died in there but then this past week I heard a high pitched scream coming from Julia "MY MOTH IS OUT!!!!!".   John had taken Julia to the computer to look up what sort of butterfly or moth this caterpillar was going to turn into and wouldn't you know they were pretty close.   The underside of the moth was quite interesting with a big white body and large black spots...... Spike changed his name to Pepper.  The moth moved rather slowly, almost not at all so we left the lid off of his container one night thinking he wouldn't go anywhere but he escaped into our house.   Julia was very upset and we searched all day for it. Later that evening John came home and found it on the counter top - whew - close call!  Julia was thrilled.   

Today she finally let it go.  She wanted him to have a life outside and I think she couldn't fathom finding it dead one day in the cage.  To see such love and compassion for this little creature from Julia is so sweet.  I know how sensitive she is.  Pepper is out there spreading his wings and looking for a nice winter coat to munch on.