I’m just kidding about the pest part, as I really like these life science projects.
We are raising painted butterflies again, with the arrival of five healthy (and rapidly growing!) caterpillars. We did this last summer and three survived to become full-fledged adults.
Even more exciting, for me, this year, are the two tadpoles that came today for our Planet Frog project. I've never actually witnessed tadpoles maturing into frogs, which goes to show you the deprivations of childhood I suffered. I’m determined to give my own children a better childhood, full of summers growing things inside that would be better kept outside. 
The two tadpoles were shipped through USPS in little pill bottles filled with an inch of water. The literature said not to worry when our little pets swam drunkenly; just a side affect of long distance travel. They should be as normal as any pond-raised tadpole by tomorrow. One is significantly bigger than the other and should be growing feet soon. Don’t worry, I’ll document everything.
Forgive me for this interlude, but I must share with you Piper’s hamartia, her fatal flaw, her greatest character deficit. She is a terrible namer. I’ve witnessed this every time she’s tried to name a stuffed animal or doll or a bug. She usually just gives it its own name (“puppy”, “baby”) or it’s most obvious characteristic (“hoppy”), but today, when she got to name the smaller tadpole, she dubbed it Little Swimmer Tadpole. When Mama Killjoy pointed out that it would not be little, a swimmer, or a tadpole for very long, she just philosophically replied that then his name would be Hopper Frogpole. The caterpillars were so much worse that I didn’t even acknowledge her suggestions.
