え？いま？
と、思わせられ続き。
11月中旬、レモンの葉先で頭を左右にゆらゆら振っている暢気な幼虫を見つけた。
え？今？もうすぐ冬だよ！
ということで、緊急確保。
無事サナギになったので安心して越冬態勢に。
と思ったら、12月下旬のある日、黒っぽくなってきた。
まさか、今？この時期に羽化？
翌朝、状態はどんどん変化して、
透明な黄金色になったサナギの膜がぱっくり割れて
真っ黒な羽のちぢれた生き物が現れた。
生き物は、ゆっくり羽を乾かしながら大きく広げて、
立派なクロアゲハになった。
クロアゲハが私の部屋で羽化したのは、始めて。
で？
こんな冬に羽化してしまってどうする？
アゲハは成虫で越冬できない。
「人間の生活の中で体内時計が狂っちゃったのね。
今の季節では、飼うしかないわねぇ」
と、虫に詳しい知人にも言われ、現在同居中。
おとなしい子で、用意した餌もちゃんと口にしてくれている。
一度ひっこめた口を再度伸ばして「おかわり」を何度もする。
食事の後、満腹になるのか、しばらく動けない様も愛らしい。
１日でも長く、気持ちよく過ごしてもらうことだけを願う。
早寝の蝶は陽が落ちると眠りに入る。
明日も起きて、おはようと声をかけることが楽しみ。
生き物との同居は、緊張すれど無性に嬉しい。
2020.12.29
I was surprised by the spangle, a kind of swallowtail-butterfly.
In the middle of November, I found a happy larva on a lemon tree. It was shaking its head rightward and leftward on the top of a leaf.
“A larva? Now? Winter is only just around the corner!”, I thought to myself.
I immediately took it inside to my room.
In the course of time, it became a pupa, seemingly without problems.
But then, during the late part of December the green pupa turned to be black.
“Unbelievable! Now? Is it emerging?”
During the next morning the condition was changing very rapidly, and from the clear golden shell a shrunken black creature emerged.
The little black creature dried its wings leisurely, and finally, was transformed into a graceful spangle.
I saw a spangle’s emergence for the first time, and amazingly - it was in my own room!
Then? What should I do?
It emerged in the middle of winter!
Swallowtails can’t pass through and survive the winter, can they?
“Maybe it’s internal clock has become strange and out-of-sync. You had better take care of it in your room.” A lady who has a lot of knowledge about insects so advised me.
Now, at the very end of 2020, I am spending time and space with it in my narrow room.
She, I think it is female, seems tame. She takes the drink I prepare for her.
Today she took an additional sip. Perhaps she might prefer today’s drink offering.
After feeding she can’t move. She might feel full. She can’t move for a while. That’s so cute.
I pray that she can prolong her life, even one day more.
Butterflies fall asleep early.
I’m looking forward to saying “Good morning”, to her tomorrow.
Taking care of an unfamiliar creature makes me nervous, but at the same time brings me a warm and happy feeling.
