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🦋Beautiful Butterflies 🦋

Lou73 June 18th, 2023

The warm and humid weather makes June the perfect time for butterflies to start emerging and fluttering through wildflowers and gardens.

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There are approximately 18,500 named species of butterflies all over the world. Here is a quiz to identify some of the more common UK species: https://www.sporcle.com/games/Woorsie/uk-butterflies-picture-click


I have purchased a butterfly kit and the caterpillars were sent to me in a culture pot and in 2-3 weeks, they will eat, spin silk, and grow until they are 10x bigger than they were when they arrived. When they are ready, they will form chrysalides and then in another 1-2 weeks, they will emerge as Painted Lady butterflies! (pictured above)


If you’d like to join me in watching their journey, just subscribe to this post!


You could also join in by sharing any photos you capture of butterflies in your area


Feedback & Ideas Form Share your ideas!

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Lou73 OP June 30th, 2023

Day 13 and 14 - (day 4 and 5 of Chrysalis stage) Not much visual change today and tricky to get a good photo through the mesh but I will try again tomorrow. Whilst it looks like not much is going on, there is a magical transformation happening inside!

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2 replies
EmotionsListener June 30th, 2023

@Lou73

So tempting to start speculating on who will emerge first... Now we all practice our patience. 😧

1 reply
Lou73 OP June 30th, 2023

@EmotionsListener

Haha pick your competitor! They could emerge anytime from day 7 so not long now!

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ThadSterling July 1st, 2023

@Lou73

This is such a cool idea, I would love to get a kit and grow some butterflies with my daughter

1 reply
Lou73 OP July 1st, 2023

Thanks @ThadSterling, that sounds like a great idea, it's a fab project for kids and adults alike! 🦋

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Lou73 OP July 1st, 2023

Day 15 and 16 (day 6 and 7 of chrysalis stage) - the chrysalides have started to darken - 1 - Lou, 2 Emo and 4- Sun seem to be darker than the other 2 which makes sense as some of the caterpillars formed their chrysalis a day earlier. Darkening can be a sign that they are getting ready to emerge!

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3 replies
PatienceImpatiens July 2nd, 2023

@Lou73 So Exciting!

MistyMagic July 2nd, 2023

@Lou73 awww so it is me and angel that are slower. Are there different butterfly genders?

1 reply
Lou73 OP July 2nd, 2023

Hehe yes @MistyMagic! And yes butterflies do have genders but it's very difficult to tell them apart - it something to do with the shape of their abdomen.

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Lou73 OP July 2nd, 2023

Day 17 (day 8 of chrysalis stage)

By morning, 3 of the butterflies had emerged! And then the 4th butterfly (Misty) emerged at some point during the day when I was at work so I've missed all 4 emerging from their chrysalis' 😥 I'm gutted that I didn't get to see it but the flutterbyes are too cute to be mad at them for breaking free without me. And nature waits for no one.

The newest butterfly spent some time resting on the top of the chrysalis station and then joined the others by resting on the side of the netting, with their wings mainly closed and occasionally stretching them to get used to how their new wings feel!

When butterflies emerge, they dispel something called meconium from the abdomen to get rid of anything not needed to complete metamorphosis. It looks like a red liquid but isn't blood (insect blood is actually greenish-yellow in colour). I will try and keep out meconium from pictures as best as possible.

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So it's just our Angel left to emerge. It's hard to photograph but I can see the wing pattern all folded up inside so it's very close to emerging. I will now be taking the habitat everywhere with me (not leaving the house) until the last one emerges as I desperately want to see one emerge.

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I've also added half an orange to the habitat so that the new butterflies have something to feed on.

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3 replies
MistyMagic July 3rd, 2023

@Lou73 Wow how wonderful xxxxxx love to the butterflies ♥️🦋🦋🦋💙💙💙🦋🦋🦋😁👍

calmmoon2104 July 3rd, 2023

@Lou73

It's amazing how you describe the whole process of them as babies and till they emerge as beautiful butterflies!

They're really cute and beautiful 💙

1 reply
Lou73 OP July 3rd, 2023

Thanks @calmmoon2104, I hope you've been enjoying the journey :)

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lullaby17 July 3rd, 2023

@Lou73

wow i would have never thought there would be so many different types of butterflies. how beautiful❤️

PatienceImpatiens July 3rd, 2023

Y'all Butterflies are so Beautiful!

Lou73 OP July 3rd, 2023

Day 18 (day 1 of all butterflies)

So somewhere between 3:30am and 6:30am, Angel, our last remaining Chrysalide split open and burst it's way out so I missed all of them emerging :( .

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But there has been lots of wing flapping and fluttering and a few of them have visited the orange but I haven't seen them feed yet.

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2 replies
MistyMagic July 3rd, 2023

@Lou73

Woweeeeee! Misty is flying high with all the other butterflies, fleeeee flyyyyyyyy wheeeeee look at them all enjoying this new stage in life 🌞🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🌞

Lou sending you hugs and so many thanks for this fantastic Thread Of The Year 🥂🏆 and as a swansong none better! I have loved working with you on Hobby Zone, your work for our team has been amazing and I hope to continue that in other areas of the site.

♥️♥️🦋🦋♥️♥️

1 reply
Lou73 OP July 3rd, 2023

Hehe they are loving their new wings and getting used to flying more than walking haha @MistyMagic

Thank you so much, *gracefully accepts 🏆* I have really enjoyed it and so glad that you have all been so excited to join me on this journey! 🦋🦋

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calmmoon2104 July 4th, 2023

@Lou73


Awwww!!❤ At last the expected moment came, can't even imagine we all have here with you since you started this wonderful thread ❤ (I am sorry that you didn't get to see them all emerge, but you do see them shine now 😀)

They are so beautiful and pretty! Haha, I am sure they will love the orange very much if it's sweet when they start feeding on it, don't worry ❤

Thank you for making this wonderful thread, I had a great time watching those sweet butterflies grow ❤

wildflower999 July 16th, 2023

@Lou73

The journey was so beautiful 😍 💖 Thank you for sharing.

1 reply
Lou73 OP July 16th, 2023

You're very welcome @wildflower999, so glad you enjoyed it 😊🦋

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PatienceImpatiens July 4th, 2023

I agree this is Thread of the Year! Lovely Butterflies!

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3 replies
Lou73 OP July 4th, 2023

This is such a beautiful pic @PatienceImpatiens!

1 reply
MistyMagic July 5th, 2023

@Lou73 have they flown away yet?

Listening - One Step At A Time!

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MistyMagic July 5th, 2023

@PatienceImpatiens Best cat pic ever!

Listening - One Step At A Time!

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Lou73 OP July 6th, 2023

Day 21 - so the butterflies continued to feed and practice using their wings. I topped up the fruit and sugar water multiple times a day and even provided a fresh spring of Buddleia each day too! They did a lot of resting after their miraculous transformation and expelled all the excess meconium.

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They were then ready to release! I waited for the warmest part of the day to release them and they were definitely ready to go. 2 of them flew straight out and were off in the direction of the nearest park! Then another flew out and stayed in the bushes for a while. The last 2 I took out on my hand and let them sit for a while before they flew away.

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So now our butterflies have been released, it's the perfect time to say that I too will by flying away from HZ. Thank you so much for all your interest and support in my last post, it's been wonderful to share it with you all!

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Lou 🦋

10 replies
PatienceImpatiens July 6th, 2023

@Lou73 Wait, What? Where will you fly? How can you not still be interested in Science and Art and Beauty? Where are you going?

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3 replies
Lou73 OP July 6th, 2023

@PatienceImpatiens

Haha omg Pat is gonna catch me!! I'm very much still interested in all those things but changes have been made to the HZ which I don't agree with and the way it was done was upsetting so I'm taking at least a break.

2 replies
PatienceImpatiens July 6th, 2023

@Lou73 Lou the Butterfly, it's Pat the Cat. It's ok to disagree. It's also really good to refresh oneself, fly around a bit, try some oranges and honey, live on the wild side. Just remember your People. You are always Loved.

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1 reply
Lou73 OP July 8th, 2023

Thank you @PatienceImpatiens, that means a lot 💙 and yes I will be living on the wild side for a while 😄🦋

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MistyMagic July 6th, 2023

@Lou73 Ohhhhh flying away! My beautiful butterflies, did I head to the park I wonder or stay for a natter with you? Aren't they beautiful :)

Listening - One Step At A Time!

1 reply
Lou73 OP July 8th, 2023

Hehehe they are beautiful @MistyMagic and I think you stayed for a natter first 🥰

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EmotionsListener July 6th, 2023

@Lou73

Thank you for taking the time to share this entire experience with us, it is one of those happy and sad moments when you are able to at last set them free. It is also sad to see as you step away from our lovely little Hobby Zone home. I understand the need, but will miss you none the less. I hope you are able to soar much like all those beautiful butterflies.

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

1 reply
Lou73 OP July 8th, 2023
Thank you @EmotionsListener, bittersweet it really is, and I already miss my butterflies and the HZ. But thank you for all your support and working on HZ together has been great :) I'll miss you all too but I'm sure we will still cross paths here now and again 💙
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lyricalAngel70 July 8th, 2023

I am sure it wouldn't have been easy to watch they fly away 😭♥️

I mean I wasn't even there but somehow got attached to them then I can't even imagine how difficult it would have been for you. Sending strength, love, and positivity your way!

The best part is that we all could witness their beautiful growth journey because of you. A big THANK YOU! ♥️♥️♥️

Much love,

-Angel 💙💜
@Lou73

1 reply
Lou73 OP July 8th, 2023

@lyricalAngel70

Thank you Angel, it was tough to let them go but they were ready to fly and explore the wilderness! I'm really glad you've enjoyed the post and I feel blessed that I got to watch them grow and share the process with you 🥰

🦋

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Cancun July 7th, 2023

@Lou73

I can't even begin to tell you how much I appreciate and needed this. The fly babies are so beautiful. It makes me want to do it. Thank you. emoji-kiss.gif

1 reply
Lou73 OP July 8th, 2023

I'm glad you enjoyed it @Cancun 💙 It really was great fun to do 🥰🦋

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