Good for you, I would have done the same thing, now you will be rewarded with a pretty butterfly!

Lucky caterpillar! I wouldn't have had the nerve to steal it but I certainly would've thought about it. Then I would've thought how embarrassing it would be if the mom threw a fit and called the police. lol That sounds like something that would make a good Odd News story. "Woman Arrested for Stealing Four Year Old's Caterpillar". :D

Hehehe! Thank you for rescuing that poor caterpillar!

Now that you brought it home...you really need to get some host plants in your yard in case you "steal" more! LOL!!!
I have "stolen" at lot of them from nurseries around my area! I felt convicted so now I ask permission! They have all been happy to let me take them off their hands so their plants will look presentable to sell!
I have had an explosion of BST cats here in North Texas & don't need to "steal" any more now...I have 8 from the nurseries waiting to eclose & probably 30+ in my box that I found on my fennel & prairie bishop's weed in my meadow. I have been leaving all the little ones outside for now but can't help myself when I see a great big one that is almost ready to eclose...it gets to come in to safety!
I am also having a PVST explosion...they have eaten all my A.fimbriata plants to the ground for the second time & I keep moving them to my A.tormentosas. They sure don't like it as well but to survive...it's the only food left in my yard!

Great idea, birdnut! I will case the nurseries out for babies too. I used to look at the citrus trees for giant eggs, but it is time to branch out to the parsley and dill. By the way, the little guy made his chrysalis this afternoon. I checked on him and nothing, then an hour later he was done, why does it always happen that way!!

Aw, that was so nice of you for rescuing that caterpillar! It doesn't sound like it would have made it through all that "attention" that it was getting at its former home.

I've never "stolen" cats from an individual's home (although given those circumstances I probably would do that), but I scope out Lowe's and Walmart fairly regularly and find BST cats on their parsley and dill and bring them home. Of course, I end up buying a plant because I'd feel funny just walking out of there with the caterpillars, but maybe they'd just be glad to get rid of them.

Cathy

Shannon...I went to a couple of local nurseries yesterday looking for GST cats but didn't find any! They are very scarce around here so far this year! One nursery said they had just sprayed for grasshoppers so they probably won't have any for a long time!
Cathy, I did the same thing at first when I wanted the BST cats...bought a plant. Now I just ask & most gladly even give me a small sack to take them home in! ;o)

Birdnut - I am finally seeing a few GSTs now here in North Texas. Two mamas have been kind enough to lay some eggs for me, I have 4 biggies and 4 little bitties now!

Shannon, Thanks for the heads up...I'm just west of DFW!
I have brought in over 40 BST cats from my yard so far this month. I have been moving PVST cats from the sticks of my defoliated A.fimbriata plants to my 2 A.tormentosas. They don't like the tougher leaves as much but at least they will have food. I am seeing a lot of adult PVSTs flying but there is no longer any new leaves for the ladies to lay their eggs on. I have only seen a couple of eggs laid on the A.tormentosas because there isn't much new growth right now.
Still haven't seen any TSTs either this year.
Several queens nectaring on my Gregg's Blue Mist flowers but no cats yet that I've seen either on all the milkweed I have ready for them & the lacking monarchs!

OH! I have so been in that situation! Where the parents are so nonchalant about "well she likes to pet them" and they know they are probably going to kill them but dont do anything about it! I am with you 100%! Plus there's always that chance of a bird or lizard getting it anyway so glad to hear it is safe!
We have just in the last week or two seen the first couple of BSTs flying (and found a few eggs) of the whole year in our neck of the woods. miss them!

My mom has always taught me to be gentle and kind to animals. When I was six we found a baby bird and nursed it back to health. Whenever I find a caterpillar I put it in the woods so it is safe from birds.

I always check the butterfly weed, parsley and dill at my local nursery as well. Luckily, I know the owner and he lets me take them home (I always end up buying the plants too LOL). He has had to kick customers off his lot for being "nice" by killing the "worms" on his plants :(