The very hungry caterpillar

By chance I came across a little tiny monarch caterpillar on one of the milkweed plants last week, so of course, I brought him in. Having learned the hard way last year that it is important to wash the milkweed leaves thoroughly before letting the caterpillar eat them, he has thrived. In fact, having done this a time or two before, I would say this is the hungriest caterpillar we've ever had. Usually, I can get away with giving a new leaf once a day. Not with this guy. Recently I've had to change his leaf twice, sometimes three times. He eats so much. And if I don't provide him with new leaves, then I find him crawling all over the windowsill to search for new leaves on his own.

The little people love him and so had to name him. G. and L. were standing there when I first brought him in and at first suggested something mundane such as stripey. However, my two youngest are anything but mundane, so not being content with the first suggestion, stood there a thought a little longer. L. suddenly bursts out, "Let's call him John Avery Whittaker!" G. joins in with, "YES! Let's call him John Avery Whittaker!" So John Avery Whittaker he is. It did throw some older children for a loop at first when I asked for someone to go get a new leaf for John Avery Whittaker, We soon cleared up the confusion. For those whose children do not listen to Adventures in Odyssey non-stop, John Avery Whittaker is a character from the radio show.

Eating... which is what he does best

At home, for now, in his jar