The Caterpillar Chronicles: A lesson in bugs

Spring is here, and yard work is in full swing! While I have a healthy respect for bees, worms, and other helpful bugs, I avoid the insect world as much as possible. As the laws of parenthood would have it, I have a three-year-old who is obsessed with bugs.

While Gracie was helping me weed out under our dogwood tree last weekend, she came across a handful of caterpillars. She insisted on raising the caterpillars, and I helped her set up little habitats for the four little critters. I decided to research a little bit about the future of her finds and discovered that they are fall armyworms.

Fal...