Review on Insect Lore Butterfly Garden Caterpillars: A Unique Learning & Education Experience by Ryan Bowers

We made one of these kits last spring and didn't have too many problems so I knew what to expect this time. When my caterpillars arrived, I noticed that the cups are different now. since last year. which will soon turn out (according to my observations as a problem). The caterpillars ate everything and kept getting bigger, just like last year. However, when it came time to climb to the top of the cup and form their "J" shape, did they seem "unhappy"? I saw a difference from last year. This time they were all crawling and crawling and trying to "bite through" the top of the cup lid? One was biting the sides of the cup and the lid so desperately that I could hear its sound from across the room!? (We didn't encounter this last year) Did they crash up the lid and then down the sides of the cup as if showing something inappropriate to allow them to lift off the top of the cup? We kept looking and they tried and tried to "cling" on the lid of the caterpillar cup and 2 fell to the ground and started their transformation ON ONE ONE ON THE ground causing lots of condensation and "humidity". ' in this area. ROUGH! Neither of them felt sad. The other three are still trying to get to the top of the cup. the first one somehow managed to connect to the grass/net, so it just seems to be hanging in the air in the net, if you will? The next one crawls on and tries to fight and knock down the others. One finally hangs in J and died that way. never turns into a doll. and the next one manages to hang onto his stomach and that's why his head is hanging in the wrong direction (backward) and in that position he died. So we have a doll. BUT I think it might not work as in my experience from last year the puppet should twitch and chirp when moved from the cup into the mesh habitat, which didn't happen :(If I haven't last seen this set in the year and had a wonderful experience, maybe I wouldn't know better this time.but something was wrong here!I could "feel" those caterpillars were worried about the top of this mug.T WORKS!Go back to the old style mugs! The caterpillars don't like these new mugs! Meanwhile I have a VERY disappointed 6 year old waiting to release 5 butterflies! We'll be lucky if this one does I don't think it will lives inside the pupa.Another PROBLEM is that I ordered a set for myself and one for my daughter's friend as a birthday gift.They also have some problems with caterpillars falling on the ground or drop her cup! Something That is not the case! I've tried contacting Insect Olorom about this issue and the phone number I call always says it's after hours, which is definitely not the case! They're in California and I'm in Pennsylvania, 3 hours apart. I took this into account when I called. So I spent $60 for two sets and both are no good! So if you are thinking of sending a set as a gift, you better think twice if the new set changes. Our last set of butterflies that we collected was in May 2016 and we didn't have these problems! And just to clarify for everyone. We did NOT handle the caterpillar jar, we didn't shake the jar, we didn't put the caterpillar jar in the sun, we didn't have the jar in extreme temperature changes, we brought the package and opened it within an hour on a spring day to get our mail. We placed the caterpillar mug on the counter in a location that was away from any traffic or movement but in a place where we could watch them closely. Our house has a constant temperature of 70-73 degrees during the time we had them. this is so disappointing! UPDATE *** The one that was able to turn into a doll also died :( I researched this to find out what happened here and I think I found out exactly what the problem is / It's a virus called NPV (Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus) which kills caterpillars This virus causes caterpillars to hang in a J and never a pupa (like mine) or to hang in an "inverted V" shape (like mine) or that they dissolve or "melt" (disgusting! Mine did that too.) So I think that's exactly what happened to my caterpillars. They were sent to me with this virus. At least that's how I feel now better as i know there was nothing i could do to salvage or change them.So be aware that if you buy this kit it can happen!Hope this helps someone like me who just couldn't let it happen and also should know what happened to his caterpillars!I've lost my mind kt and wondered what went wrong! From what I've read this virus is VERY CONTINUOUS so bleach everything the caterpillars have come in contact with if you plan on breeding more butterflies afterwards!