Butterflies
Butterflies are fascinating insects. There are hundreds of species and they live all over the world. They can be brilliantly colored or muted colors. The lifecycle of a butterfly is quite amazing and can be done right in your own home. The process of how a tiny caterpillar grows and changes is a testament to God’s natural world.
All insects have three body parts. Butterflies are no different. They have a head, thorax, and abdomen. Did you know that a butterfly’s antennae can detect wind speed and can smell? They can taste with their feet. Can you? The eyes of a butterfly can see light waves that humans cannot. Isn’t that cool?
Butterflies go through a complete metamorphosis which means it starts as an ovum (egg) then becomes larvae (caterpillar) and then into a butterfly after making a chrysalis.
What they eat
Butterflies drink nectar from flowers. They drink nectar from most flowers that produce the sweet stuff however they only lay eggs on certain plants. Each species of butterfly has a specific host plant where they lay their eggs. Being able to taste with their feet allows them to find the right plant.
Where they lay their eggs
Most butterflies lay their eggs on the underside of a leaf from their host plant. This helps them be camouflaged from predators. Once the caterpillars hatch from their egg, they begin eating the leaves of the host plant. They will continue to eat the leaves until they reach full growth and then find a place to make a chrysalis. The caterpillars we are studying will take about 5-10 days to eat and grow.
Observing butterflies
It is not easy catching a butterfly! Starting with an egg or caterpillar for your experiment will be the best way to learn about butterflies and how to care for them. At the end of your experiment, you will have a beautiful butterfly to release back into the world to start the cycle all over again.
Let’s get started
In our experience, there are a few items that will make this process easier. You can make most of them out of found items around your house or you can purchase them at local stores or online.
- Butterfly habitat. A mesh style works well for observation.
- Small plastic observation box. We find these at superstores. Often people use them for lizards or small aquatic animals. It is perfect for the caterpillar stage for children to observe details without handling or disturbing the insect.
- Plenty of backup host plants. Monarchs are very hungry.
Spend time during your experiment to watch the details and actions of all stages. Focus on building your observation time. The longer you can watch the more you will learn. Taking notes and drawing during the process will help you remember the details and look back on each experiment for changes.
A book that is great for learning this early information and how to build your own habitats is The Butterfly Book by Kersten Hamilton