Interloper

I found a visitor in the garden tonight.

Upon researching, I found that he (she? it?) is a Tomato Hornworm. Apparently pretty nasty in the garden. Instead of freaking out and being a big goosey girl about it, though, I captured him (her? it?) in a plastic container I had laying around and Harrison and I looked it up online. He (Harrison) was very intrigued by the little bug and we decided to call him (definitely going with male at this point) Carle, after one of our favorite authors.

Our next order of business was to get some housing established for the critter. I dug around and found a cranberry juice jug in the fridge that was past its freshness date, so I washed it out and took to it with a corn-on-the-cob holder. I punched quite a few holes in it, but I’m still paranoid that the poor guy’s going to suffocate, so I occasionally walk past and tap on it a bit to try to get a reaction out of him. If lack of air doesn’t get him, heart attacks from the giant who beats on his house will. (All this concern despite the fact that this dude was trying to take out the little bit that is left of my garden. I really am too soft, I think.)

I plan to send him to school with the Boy in the morning, assuming Carle is still kicking. (Or crawling, or whatever.) They’re studying birds this summer in his class, but I think a live, very cool looking bug might be a pretty interesting distraction.

In other news, I finished up part of Harrison’s gift exchange package that he’s going to be sending to his pen pal, John. Harrison picked the fabrics and helped pick the pattern and supervised a good portion of the construction. As soon as I get the package sent (due by this Monday, but I’ll hopefully get in the mail earlier), I’ll post pictures of it. Don’t want to ruin the surprise if John and his mom, Kelly, are reading! :)