It has been wonderous watching our Painted Lady Butterfly larvae prepare for the transformation of changing from a catterpillar to a butterfly (metamorphosis)!
We observed eleven young caterpillars (larvae) eating. They started small and grew until they were big and fat. They crawled to the top of our container, attached themselves with a silk thread, and hung upside down to wrap themselves in a chrysalis. At first each chrysalis was black, and then quickly took on a metalic coopery colour!
On Thursday, six larvea constructed their chrysalsis while we learned at JK, and we transferred them to our butterfly habitat. During the weekend, five more larvae prepared their chrysalsis, leaving just one caterpillar in the container.
"My Mom says that one is dead! Sometimes that happens in nature." Arianna explained to her classmates as they observed the one caterpillar left in the container on Monday morning.
By Monday afternoon, the last caterpillar climbed to the top of the container and hung upside down. On Tuesday, the last of our 11 larvae had constructed its temporary home. "That's so JK," Jenn exclaimed, "all the caterpillars prepared to transformed at their own rates."
What will we find when we return to JK and look into our butterfly habitat this Monday?
We observed eleven young caterpillars (larvae) eating. They started small and grew until they were big and fat. They crawled to the top of our container, attached themselves with a silk thread, and hung upside down to wrap themselves in a chrysalis. At first each chrysalis was black, and then quickly took on a metalic coopery colour!
On Thursday, six larvea constructed their chrysalsis while we learned at JK, and we transferred them to our butterfly habitat. During the weekend, five more larvae prepared their chrysalsis, leaving just one caterpillar in the container.
"My Mom says that one is dead! Sometimes that happens in nature." Arianna explained to her classmates as they observed the one caterpillar left in the container on Monday morning.
By Monday afternoon, the last caterpillar climbed to the top of the container and hung upside down. On Tuesday, the last of our 11 larvae had constructed its temporary home. "That's so JK," Jenn exclaimed, "all the caterpillars prepared to transformed at their own rates."
What will we find when we return to JK and look into our butterfly habitat this Monday?