Larva to Pupa, Pupa to Ladybug

All this week, we've been watching as ladybug larvae morphed into pupae (you can click the photos to make them bigger).


And, after a good deal of waiting, and watching, we were finally rewarded, yesterday, with the sight of a ladybug struggling to emerge from the pupa stage.



We watched for quite a while, as it struggled around on the leaf, working in a circular pattern, from where the tail end of the shell was secured down.





By bedtime, it seemed to be resting, too.


This morning, all that remained, on the leaf, was an empty shell. The ladybug was nowhere to be seen, but it was chilly out, and most of the ladybugs, on the tree, were snuggled down under leaves, so it's possible it was nearby, but out of sight.


It's great to be a homeschooler.