April 28, 2012

• Butterflies

  Miriam’s theme has always been butterflies.  It is crazy ironic all the butterfly things that have come up!  Her nickname is ‘the screeching butterfly’.  So it’s no surprise we chose Butterflies as the theme for her first birthday.  I thought this would be the perfect time to raise butterflies from caterpillars.  I thought it was sooo much fun!  The kids really enjoyed it, but I think Aaron and I were even more fascinated!  Here are some pictures of the different stages.

   

  Stage 1: We received the caterpillars when they were tiny.  They came in this little container, with all the food they need to make it to the Chrysallis stage.

   

   

  Stage 2. The caterpillars didn’t stay tiny for long!  They doubled in size within a week.  Then they were ready to make cocoons.  They crawled to the top of the container and hung upside down.  Without any action on their part, the chrysallis/cocoon formed around them.

   

   

  Stage 4: We then took the paper lining off of the lid of the plastic container and pinned it to the top of the butterfly tent, so they could emerge within the tent.  I thought they would be ‘asleep’ during this phase, but when we moved them, they begun swinging around like crazy, as you can see from the picture – they were so active! 

   

   

  Stage 5:  After a very quiet 7-10 days, they began to emerge.  Painted Lady Butterflies!  10 of them!  they were beautiful.  They seemed to have trouble figuring out what to do do with their new bodies!  They kept tipping over and fluttered awkwardly about for a day and a half.  They have tiny bodies with huge ‘sails’ on their backs!  They eventually figured out how to fly and maneuver their way around, becoming very graceful

   

   

  Stage 6:  We fed them orange slices – they suck the juice from the oranges with a little straw that remains curled up in their neck, until feeding time.  It was so fun to watch them eat!

   

   

  Stage6: After about another 10 days, they started mating.  We witnessed 3 such encounters.  I hadn’t realized that they would mate in captivity.  The female lays her eggs before she dies.  But they will only lay eggs on Thistle leaves.  I rushed out to the wildflower patches on the running trail near our house, but I couldn’t find anything close.  I brought back several leaves, but they didn’t buy it.  Two of the females died shortly after mating.  It turns out that these butterflies only live for two weeks! 

   

   

  The Monarch.  On her birthday, this Monarch butterfly lighted on Miriam’s head, where it remained quite content until her bedtime, a 1/2 hour later.  We put it in the butterfly tent with the others. I did some research…this is a female Monarch.  They can live as little as two months, but up to 9 months.

   

  We released the butterflies at Miriams birthday party today (pictures to follow) But the Monarch was injured when one of the kids knocked over the tent.  She couldn’t fly away, so we are keeping her

  We purchased the butterfly larvae at www.insectlore.com I highly recommend doing this!! It was so much fun!! Next up, lady bugs and ant farms. 

   

   

  • 6:09 pm
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