Caterpillars have no shame

Oh crap. I gave myself another blog deadline and here it is smacking me in my face. Bear with me, I’m not sure where this one’s headed.

Yipes the day I found him (8/28)

Here’s something fun, I have two pet caterpillars. I must say, caterpillars are very amazing pets to enjoy. I strongly urge you to be on the lookout for your very own pet caterpillar. I found my first one while inspecting a red milkweed plant in my garden. I planted it last year in hopes of attracting monarch caterpillars so what a joy to discover my new friend – if you plant it they will come! 

It took me a couple of days to name him, I was inspired by his stripes so I named him Yipes, after the Fruit Striped Gum zebra mascot.Yipes! Stripes! Fruit Striped Gum! Yes, sugar is in my DNA.

Yipes on 8/29 just about to eat his skin

I’ve enjoyed every detail about Yipes’ life. Living to eat seems like a pretty lovely life. Except for the somewhat too ‘icky’ nature moment that I had when I realized that Yipes was eating the skin he had just shed.Yeah, that was kinda harsh. Logical, but hhharsh. I managed to capture another one of Yipes’ finer moments on video. Let’s just say that he really has no shame.

About to perform his magic trick

Go Pack Go! Yipes in his chrysalis on 9/3

Yipes will emerge in the next few days, he’s still solid green with beautiful gold accent marks – an homage to the Packers I’m sure.  By the way, tonight I learned that blogging and watching football is awesome.

Harriet on 9/4

I found my second caterpillar, Harriet, while picking raspberries on September 4th. She is a Yellow Woolybear and will become a Virginian Tiger Moth. If she doesn't make her cocoon in the next day or so I’m letting her go. Since we first met I’ve learned a lot about her and it might be best for her to be in the wild right now. Turns out many moths over winter outside, hibernating in their silk spun cocoons. How's that for impressive and crazy cool?

You’re probably thinking ‘All of this nature talk is great but what about the sugar scene?’ Well, much to the thrill of my 12 year old boy gutter brain, I have great sugar news to report. Certainly the hottest news in sugar things is that Ben & Jerry’s has confirmed they’re making “Schweddy Balls” ice cream.  So, there ya have it. Skin eating caterpillars, poop, and Schweddy Balls.