what to feed a caterpillar

hampshirebabe

We were out picking elder flowers yesterday and when we got home found a caterpillar had come home with us too. My 5 year old would like to keep it, feed it and watch it turn into a butterfly, what are the chances of it surviving, what should we feed it? We've put it in a glass jar with a muslin top held on with elastic bands, and given her (named Lily) a selection of leaves from the garden, including some golden elder, but we dont have any normal elder leaves.
Any help gratefully received.:wave:

ljonski

if you don't know what type it is, the only chance of survival is putting i t back from whence it came.

Davesnave

ljonski wrote: »

if you don't know what type it is, the only chance of survival is putting i t back from whence it came.

Agreed.

Perhaps your 5 year old needs a different lesson, rather than the one you had in mind?

kiwimama

Agree on the different kind of lesson, maybe take him to a Butterfly House so he can see the life cycle himself, my DS 4yrs loved the one at Blenheim Palace and DD 1yr LOVED the butterflies fluttering around us

blossomhill_2

We used to give the ones we found currant leaves when I was a kid - never saw them hatch to a butterfly but did see them cocoon
Circle of life and all that!

antw23uk

Catch and release :T Dont be cruel

pokey128

we have this and it's been brilliant!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00000ISC5/ref=asc_df_B00000ISC58462926?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&!!!!!hydra0b-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22206&creativeASIN=B00000ISC5&hvpos=1o1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1110283721752160069&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=

cootambear

squish

or chuck it back

Blackpool_Saver

release it

foxgloves

They eat very specific plants.....i.e I had some silkworm caterpillars when I was a kid, which only ate mulberry leaves. They all died when I fell out with the only girl I knew who had a mulberry tree in her garden! If you don't know exactly what sort of caterpillar it is, you won't know what it eats, so best taking it back.

davenport151

I agree totally with Foxgloves. Caterpillars can be moths or butterflies and each one has a specific diet/food plant.
Incidently if you would like your child to experience something like this you can buy 'kits'. This contains a special habitat and a voucher to send off for your live caterpillars and are given instructions on how to look after them (they are Painted Lady catterpillars ) watch them get to the cocoon stage and hatch. Feed the butterflies then release them in your garden. Has to be a certain time of year though. Poss do a google search or sometimes garden centres do the kit. I think the price was about £20 poss a bit less. I think I got mine 1/2 price.
Did this a few years ago with my son and we did a photographic diary of each stage. V interesting.

Sorry just noticed the post from pokey128. Totally agree with that. Good price too.