All Ages Activity = Science, Math, Language Arts, Art

Instructions For Raising Painted Lady Butterflies The caterpillar to butterfly life cycle is approximately 21 days. The caterpillars you receive are about 5 days into their cycle. You should receive 4-5 caterpillars in your cup, and because a caterpillar or two may die, you will have 3-5 butterflies to care for.	It's great to have you along on this fantastic project. To begin, read about the basic care of your moths and caterpillars. Have fun!
1. Caterpillar care - Watch them grow! The caterpillar cup has all the food the caterpillars need. Keep the lid on the cup until the caterpillars reach the chrysalis stage. The caterpillars like warm spots (70-75 degrees) out of direct sunlight and cold drafts. After 7 to 10 days, the caterpillars begin to form chrysalides by attaching to the paper disk under the cup lid. Observe the caterpillars as they grow and begin to form their chrysalides, but refrain from touching them - it distracts them from their important work! Handle the cup as little, and as gently, as possible. 2. Chrysalis stage - Metamorphosis at work When all the chrysalides are complete (1 or 2 days), gently remove the lid, and lift out the paper disk with the attached chrysalides (see photo). Tape the paper to the inside wall of your butterfly house so that the chrysalides hang naturally. If a chrysalis falls off, gently place it near the twig on the floor of the house. Butterflies will emerge in 7 to 10 days. Butterflies! - Emergence and flight When the butterflies emerge, they'll hang from the twig you've placed in the butterfly house; they do this in order to pump fluids into their wings. The wings will harden and expand to full size in 1 to 2 hours. The butterflies will need to be supplied with fresh food daily: a mixture of 2 teaspoons sugar to 1 cup of water. This can be a fun measuring exercise for your students. To feed them, you can roll up a paper towel and saturate it with the mixture, or use a wick (like a paper towel) in a small cup of the solution. Make sure that the wick is higher than the cup. A sponge dipped in the solution will also work. If you think your butterflies may emerge over a weekend, leave the solution in their home. Setting them free - Releasing butterflies as a special gift to the Earth Plan where to release them: A quiet part of your playground, a field, or flower garden will work. Ideally, daytime temperatures need to reach a minimum of 55 degrees for the butterflies to survive outside. Talk about the release as the children's special gift to the planet. Invite parents to join you. (See "It's A Party", pages 44-47.) Frequently asked questions - and the answers! Should I punch air holes in the cup lid? No. The caterpillars have all the air they need inside the cup. What is the silky stuff in the caterpillar cup? Webbing or silk that the caterpillars spin. What are those little green balls in the cup? The caterpillar's excrement or waste, called frass. It is harmless - there is no need to clean the cup. What if the caterpillars eat the paper disk under the cup lid? Replace the paper disk with a piece of paper towel. What if a chrysalis has formed and the others are still caterpillars? Move that chrysalis and the paper it's attached to into the butterfly house. Replace the paper with a paper towel for the other caterpillars. How long can we keep the butterflies in captivity? Up to 2 weeks. What is the red liquid left in the butterfly box? It is meconium, a harmless substance left over from wing formation. Instructions For Raising Luna Moths When you receive the Luna Moth, it is well into its cycle. A cocoon already surrounds the pupa. Prepare your Luna Moth house - see butterfly and moth house instructions on this page. Place the cocoon on the floor of the moth house. Gently mist the cocoon with water once. The moth should emerge within 2-3 weeks. It takes 1-2 hours after emergence for the wings to dry and harden. The life span of the adult moth is approximately 1 week. Don't worry about feeding the adult moth. It doesn't eat!
Building Your Butterfly/Moth House