Caterpillars in the mail

A special package arrived in the mail with 40 Painted Lady caterpillar larvae.  The caterpillar larvae came in two clear plastic cups with lids.

The sides of the cups had a thin coating of larvae food.  Several of the caterpillar larvae were clinging to the sides of the cups while others were hanging from the lid.

I placed the cups in a warm place but not in direct sunlight.  After a day the larvae were large (5/8") enough to transfer into their growing cups.  I took the larvae food and pressed it to the sides of five clear plastic cups.

The "food" looked like cookie dough, felt like play dough and smelled like oatmeal.

When the growing cups were ready, I took off the lid and the caterpillars started moving.  They moved like inch worms.

 I used the end of a paintbrush to move the larvae to their growing cup.  Eight larvae per cup.

The larvae must stay in their growing cups until they form their chrysalis.  Three days after the last caterpillar forms its chrysalis they need to be transferred to a wet paper towel placed in the bottom of a enclosed net.  If the temperature stays near 85F the caterpillars should form into their chrysalis between 10 to 12 days.

Here's a picture of a Painted Lady.