To Kill Or Not To Kill.
By rakski
@rakski (158598)
Philippines
July 25, 2026 9:20pm CST
After being away and busy for quite some time, I finally had the chance to check on my calamansi plant. To my surprise, I found this little green pupa attached to one of its stems. I'm pretty sure before reaching this stage, the caterpillar had a feast and managed to eat quite a lot of my calamansi leaves. I was a little disappointed seeing the damage, but I also knew it was part of nature's cycle.
Now that it has become a pupa, I don't know if I will eliminate it or just let it be. I'm sure in a few days, this tiny green casing will transform into a beautiful butterfly. Although it cost me a handful of leaves, I think watching such an amazing transformation is worth it. I just hope I can see that transformation so I know that it's worthy of all the leaves it ate. 
9 people like this
9 responses
@DaddyEvil (176332)
• United States
26 Jul
I'd pick the cocoon off and squish it... The more adults around, the more caterpillars around to do damage to the plants. 
2 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (123650)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
26 Jul
Hopefully you will be able to see the caterpillar become a butterfly sioon.
1 person likes this
@brokenbee (11949)
• Philippines
22h
Before I tried to move the caterpillars from my vinca plants to other plants, but the last week, I had seen one... It was already big like my index finger... I just let it stay there because I was also planning to remove the plant already... After about 2 days, I haven't seen it anymore. Maybe it's a pupa now... And soon there will be a big butterfly in my garden.
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (41508)
• Philippines
11h
If they were still in the caterpillar stage, you could have stopped them from eating the leaves. But since they’ve already passed the pupal stage, you might as well let them finish and become full-grown butterflies. They’ll be beneficial to other flowering plants as great pollinators if given the chance. Besides, your plant can recover from the loss, and in the future, it could benefit from the butterflies helping with pollination.
@Shivram59 (51102)
• India
26 Jul
I would like to take them somewhere else and leave them there. I don't like to kill any living being.
1 person likes this
