Fred Has Emerged ...

Last October I introduced you to Fred.

 Fred - the ginormous, green caterpillar that Kruz found in our backyard. After Fred cocooned himself in our bug catcher the same night we found him, we assumed (according to Google) he would hatch in about 2 weeks. 

For over 6 months now, I have come downstairs to fix breakfast and have glanced in the bug catcher only to see just a cocoon. 

This morning was different. 

Fred has finally emerged himself. 

And thus, Science started at 8:30 this morning. 

After I expected Fred to just fly away and be free when I opened the bug catcher door (I imagined something from a movie really), he just sat there. Any mother's immediate thought: The poor thing died.  Kollin (thank God he remembers our lessons from last year) reminded me that it takes hours for his wings to dry out before he can fly away. 

His wing span is like no other butterfly or moth I have ever seen and I was afraid he wouldn't be able to come out of the small door of the container. I dumped him out onto the porch rails and then transferred him into our butterfly garden net, it's much larger and the entire top will open for him to fly away. He's been doing some "stretching" as Kruz says and I think within the next few hours we will watch his miraculous debut into the world. I'm telling you - I'm seriously wishing for something like out of the movies. 

So for now we will wait. And try really hard not to stare all day and focus on the rest of school. 

Wish us luck!