Swallowtail

"What has the cat gotten to now," I thought to myself when I heard something crash in the other room.

I proceeded to investigate.

It was this, albeit not in this upright position.

We were given a Black Swallowtail caterpillar from our friend Rosanne. The last of several that had been in her garden, after the birds had done in all the others.*

No doubt Max, the cat, was attracted by the motion, and jumped up on the table to investigate. Fortunately, no creatures were injured as a result of his curiosity.

Hi Rosanne, remember that caterpillar you gave us for safe keeping? It successfully transformed in to butterfly. I know, cool right? The bad news is our cat got to it ...

It was too late to in the evening to set it free. So it spent the night in our three season room, secured from curious felines.

It was ready to go in the morning. I set it free ...

... and it immediately settled on a flower in our garden.

After a minute or two of posing it fluttered off. Important butterfly work awaiting.

🐛🐛🐛🐛🐛🐛🐛🐛🐛🐛

* Or so she thought. There was at least one left, and it turned into this:

Image Courtesy Rosanne Bornholdt