The journey started by attending a Dudu Walk with the Insect Committee of Nature Kenya in November and I was ecstatic when I saw that it was not focused on creepy crawlies, but rather to “encounter, identify and learn more about Butterflies and Moths”! It started of slow as it was an overcast day, but within half an hour and having learnt about wood whites, blues and pansies, I was hooked, also because I have always wanted to learn more about these beauties. I summarily got an identification guide and started walking around the house trying to identify some of the butterflies in the garden.
Then…I found a caterpillar on my lemon tree growing in a pot on the verandah and I decided to see if I can raise a butterfly. I put it into a bottle but soon realised that it is hard work to ensure ample supply of fresh host plant material to raise it through all the instars. The leaves welted so quickly. My energies surged every time it molted and changed so completely through the 4 instars (at least that is how many I counted). And before I knew it the caterpillar was a pupa and then the wait…. And just before I gave up and thought it was surely dead, the most beautiful Citrus swallowtail butterfly emerged!
And then I saw another caterpillar on the lemon tree and the whole process restarted….
The whole process of metamorphosis is an amazing thing to witness, and there is so much to be learned by careful study and observation.
What I learned
During the earliest instars, the caterpillar pretty much stay on the host plant; they don’t necessarily need to be in the bottle in this early stage, but beware, if you sleep too late, it walks away never to be seen again (unless maybe as a butterfly flying around in the garden).
It really goes very quickly and before you know it the caterpillar is a pupa, and then it feels like ages before the butterfly emerge. It was around 3 weeks to pupa and another 3 weeks till butterfly.
Place several twigs in upright or tilted positions inside the bottle. This provides additional places for the larva to pupate on, and places for the newly eclosed butterfly to hang on to. Keep the tank in a bright light situation but avoid placing it in a hot sunny place, as this can greatly intensify the heat, creating a harmful situation for the caterpillar.
These are delicate creatures with soft bodies and permeable skins, and it is very easy to inadvertently harm them. Keep handling to a minimum.
The butterfly upon emergence expands the wings to their full size and shape, but the wings then need to dry and harden for flight. The butterfly must hang onto something, unobstructed, during this period; they cannot successfully expand their wings on a flat surface.
These wonderful creatures, these ‘jewels on the wing’, are symbolic of all that is beautiful and free in nature. Raising and releasing a healthy, vigorous butterfly is a real cause for celebration!
-Tilana De Meillon