They come in a container that has food:

they were quite small when we got them

they quickly grew

After a week or so, they turn into chrysalis and stay that way for over 2 weeks. Those weeks are not very eventful:

they make a shell and drop what their used to be their head

after much wait, the first butterflies finally got out

when they get out, they don't fly yet, they need time for their wings to harden

Sadly one of them had a shell that did not open right, got stuck while trying to get out and broke both its wings and a leg :(

once I confirmed that the poor thing even had a broken leg and was apparently bleeding through its broken wings, I ended its suffering

Over the next few days, the other ones came out too, the last ones just in time before our trip. We went to release them before flying out:

Within a few minutes, most of them had flown off. Sadly the weather is not ideal for them anymore as nights get cold and rain was in the forecast, but we hope they make it.
All in all, it took 22 days from when we got the shipment with baby caterpillars to setting them free.