Monarch (caterpillar) Watch!

Well, the caterpillars shown before disappeared, and we were sad.  There was a heavier rain one day, and I was afraid they'd be gone afterwards, which is what happened.

Thankfully, though, the Monarch butterflies really love the milkweed my father keeps on the deck, and so soon there were baby caterpillars again.  Determined not to lose more to weather or predators, my father got a terrarium and two glass salt shakers.  The salt shakers he filled with water and put the milkweed branches, with the caterpillars on them, in the water.  My mother grabbed one of these covers which is ironically designed to keep insects out of picnic dishes, instead of keeping them in a terrarium (and keeping the cats out!).  I replace the branches in the evenings usually, and this photo was taken in the afternoon, so they were starting to wilt.  There are two caterpillars, though only one seems to be growing as it should.  Meal times are very exciting, though, since the terrarium is on the dining table.  Kieran especially loves watching them.  Now we just need to find a good library book about them so we can learn even more.