caterpillars, damselflies and tadpoles

Despite feeling less than well this week, there has actually been a lot going on. The truth be told, with both boys home all week, I was unable to hibernate in my bed and nurse my cold away, I still needed to occupy them at the very least for my own sanity and well-being, because as we all know bored restless children is not a good thing.

Have I told you about the caterpillars yet? I don't believe I have. Well what with it being spring and all, the boys have been very keen to hunt for caterpillars, but with a rather small garden that we have, and it being of the "work in progress" category they didn't find any. Then I found this little guy along a pathway. I took him home for the boys to observe, but eventually had to let him go as I couldn't find anything he liked to eat. I have not been able to properly identify him, but I believe him to be a moth. So what I decided was to purchase one of these butterfly kits.

So, we have five little guys now, living in a small container, getting bigger and bigger everyday, and the boys are totally fascinated with them.

We have also managed to adopt some toad tadpoles caught in a local pond. The boys want to rear them into toads, if we can manage to accomplish that, I think that would be amazing for the boys to see.

And finally, this has been somewhat of a dragonfly/damselfly week. They have been abundant around here lately, and we have had some great fun spotting these truly beautiful insects; Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum), and I think, Small Red Damselfly (Ceriagrion tenellum).

I think I deserve a rest now after all that exploring, hunting, identifying and catching. Or a cup of tea at the very least.