Bad day in to be a caterpillar

Our table at lunch yesterday was on a patio outside the restaurant. A little caterpillary thing landed on Emily's shoulder while we were waiting for the food. I brushed it off for her, but then Alex became tremendously fascinated by it. He picked it up and put it on a napkin on the table. Soon after, he requested a to-go cup and next thing I new we had a new pet.

Well, for the moment, at least.

After lunch we dropped Ms N off at the train station. Yesterday was a very nice day, but apparently not for caterpillars in plastic cups left in cars. On the way home Alex realized that his new pet was motionless. The caterpillar died.

When we got home Alex, Emily, and some of the neighborhood kids played outside. They found an even bigger caterpillar which provided hours of amusement. Alex got his cup again and voila, we had a new new pet. Of course, the new pet needed accessories for his home, so Alex gathered some grass and a twig which stuck out the straw hole. He put the cup on the windowsill overnight.

This morning, we had a cup with grass and a twig sticking out of the straw hole, but no caterpillar. A brief search ensued which was successful; the caterpillar was on the windowsill. Once he was put back in his cup I made Alex put the cup out on the patio. Some pets are outdoor pets, after all.

I took the kids over to their mom's house for the day. When they got back home, Alex went straight to the patio to see how the caterpillar was doing. The cup was empty. I sent him on another caterpillar quest. He was just about to give up the search, but I encouraged him to look a little harder. He found a caterpillar alright -- motionless in a web next to a very happy spider.

Alex wants to find himself another caterpillar. At this rate expect butterflies to go extinct.