Week in Weird: After Finding Bugs in His Broccoli, This Dude Became a Dad to Seven Caterpillars
Jul 10, 2020 • Meryl Medel
The Internet’s been riddled with news that either spark so much anger or just pull you into a deep dark cave of hopelessness. And still, through it all, there’s some things on the Internet that would just make you go WTF? Like this man becoming a caterpillar dad after going to the grocery. Strap yourselves in, cause you’re in for an emotional journey.
How did it happen?
Hey @Tesco I was about to cook my favourite vegetable of all time (broccoli) and after unwrapping it, to my surprise, found caterpillars inside! They’re really nice and we’ve ended up keeping one as a pet and naming him. but just as a heads up, some of your broc has c-pillars😳🐛 pic.twitter.com/3VLIQAEogG
— Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 11, 2020
One fine day in June, UK-based radio presenter Sam Darlaston went out to the grocery and bought his favorite veggies. When he got home, he just wanted to cook his broccoli, but surprise, surprise. His first (caterpillar) child started crawling out.
Meet the panganay
In case anyone is interested, the name we’ve gone with is Cedric, he’s from Spain (at least we assume so because the broccoli is) and he dances after eating spinach and broc all day long 🐛🐛🐛 pic.twitter.com/tO1EyMgeG1
— Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 11, 2020
Instead of doing literally what anyone else would’ve done, i.e. set the caterpillar free back into the wild, Sam decided to keep him and name him — Cedric from Spain, because that’s where the broccoli came from. Look at Cedric from Spain wiggling in his new home.
A day later
SO IT TURNS OUT THAT THIS BROC CONTAINS ANOTHER 5 CATERPILLARS????!!!! 5!!!!! Also it turns out that THIS… is now a caterpillar thread pic.twitter.com/7M0UIcUxrU
— Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 11, 2020
Sam really just wanted some broccoli, so he went back to the grocery to get some. And guess what? Yes, this new batch of broccoli had caterpillars, too. Not just one, not two, three, or four. BUT FIVE. Cedric, say hello to your new siblings.
Not just his broccoli
WELL! What do you know! My housemate just went to cook his broccoli and BAMMMMMMM, he’s got green mates too. Open to name suggestions for our 7th caterpillar child 😭🐛🐛🐛 pic.twitter.com/Gs02yjtPLr
— Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 12, 2020
Later, his roommate bought broccoli, too, and yes —you guessed it — it also had a caterpillar in it. What are the odds? So their house had seven caterpillar children — Cedric from Spain, Janine, Slim Eric, Broc, Olly, Croc, and Carlos.
Romance among the leaves?
Day 3, and we’ve got our first caterpillar romance story. Janine and Slim Eric nap together, eat together, and occasionally dance together 🐛 pic.twitter.com/t883KOVgi0
— Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 13, 2020
Janine and Slim Eric, what are you doing? Sam, your caterpillar children are flirting! Is that allowed???
We can’t avoid the Pokemon references
The OG caterpillar Cedric has begun evolving… is Caterpie is about to become Metapod 😮 pic.twitter.com/sRRXnrR3qs
— Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 12, 2020
Also, a closer look at Cedric who is now 30 hours into his chrysalis stage – now fully renamed Metapod until he elvolves into butterfree 🦋 pic.twitter.com/Ryx4jVjgxf
— Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 13, 2020
Waiting for everyone to evolve . . .
Thanks Tesco
BIG SCENES!!! £1.10 for 3 broccolis full of caterpillars – up it to £50k Tesco or am going to sell my story to Take A Break magazine pic.twitter.com/MXEKDYv319
— Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 14, 2020
Tesco, the grocery store chain from which Sam bought his caterpillar-riddled broccoli, sent him a gift card to compensate for the chaos. Sam thinks he should have gotten £50,000 for his troubles. And you know what, with how viral his tweet thread has become, he certainly might, especially when several media outlets covered it, too.
Time to let go
HERE HE IS!!!! WE HAVE THE FINAL BROCCOLI BUTTERFLY! 7/7 all hatched (not the right terminology but yolo) 🐛👉🦋 good morning Slim Eric, you took ya sweet time 🥦☀️ pic.twitter.com/6pJ6OuGHZ5
— Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 28, 2020
Eventually, after days of taking care of his caterpillar children, Sam had to let go of his caterpillar children and let them live their lives. Cue “Let It Go.”
And don’t worry, Sam checked that they’re native to his local ecosystem before he released them.
They’re cabbage whites! Already widely found in the uk, I checked up before releasing :)
— Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 24, 2020
Would you do the same as Sam and take care of the caterpillar you find on your veggies? Share your thoughts with us below.
