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Subject Topic: What is it about me and caterpillars?? Post ReplyPost New Topic
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eileenonhim
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Posted: Oct 27 2007 at 8:37am | IP Logged Quote eileenonhim
We found (another) woolly bear caterpillar a few weeks ago, and set up (another) lovely habitat for it, with the most loving of care.

The kids and I would really enjoy seeing the moth that would come from this, someplace other than in a picture!!

But I think our little guy is dead.

I know they hibernate this time of year. But his "hibernation" seemed to come on rather suddenly, and he's just curled up in a corner of the bug hut.

Should I just save it in the garage and hope for the best, or is it time to just admit that no caterpillar is safe in my home??? (We've nurtured two woolly bears ("Lucy" and "Susan"), a spiky thing that we never did identify with certainty("Peter"), and a luna moth caterpillar ("Luna") to death so far. I don't have the heart to tell the kids about this one just yet.)

Every website that details "how to" makes it sound so easy to be successful! I wonder what I'm doing wrong?

Any advice welcome!

Eileen the Caterpillar Slayer
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cathhomeschool
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Posted: Dec 11 2007 at 8:47am | IP Logged Quote cathhomeschool
Oh, Eileen, I've been in your shoes. BUT more recently I've also managed so see several caterpillars turn into moths. Humidity affects them, so now I keep them outdoors (just under eave of house where rain won't drown them in the bucket). I'd ideally like to build a "cage" from mosquito netting that has only 4 sides and a top. Then I'd like to place the caterpillar on the ground with this mesh thing on top of it. I am sure that some caterpillars would get away, but if I managed to keep any, they'd be exposed to same weather conditions as in the wild. Some caterpillars need dead leaves and such in order to build their cocoon (like the Io that we're watching right now). I believe that other caterpillars burrow into the ground/mulch and pupate there without a cocoon at all. Some make their own silk cocoons. I'm not sure what woolly bear's do. Since finding this out, I always place a layer of dirt and leaves in the bottom of their cage. Were you giving them fresh leaves? Could the leaves have had a pesticide on them?

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