Raise and Release

Every spring we order tiny caterpillars from Insect Lore and raise them into butterflies. They start out in a little clear jar where they feast on some strange Caterpillar concoction. They are usually 1/4 to 1/2 inch long when we get them, and within a week or so are about 2 inches long. When they are ready they attach themselves to the lid of the jar, hang upside down, and form a chrysalis. At this point we transfer them to our large butterfly habitat, which is like a big mesh cylinder. In another week or so they emerge from their chrysalis, hang upside down for a few hours strengthening their wings,and Ta Da! beautiful butterflies. The ones we "raise" are painted ladies. This has become a yearly tradition, since Molly was maybe 3 or 4 years old. This year Sophia and Benny kept a butterfly journal, each day we would measure the caterpillars and they would draw any changes they observed. You can feed them sugar water and supply them with flowers for a few days, but they should be released sooner than later. One year, we had the butterflies on the front porch inside the mesh cage for a couple of hours before we were ready to release them. All the local birds must have been watching from the trees, because when we did let them go, we were dive bombed! One butterfly got eaten , but the others escaped, at least until they were out of sight of us, which is what's important here, after all, you didn't raise these butterflies to be a tasty meal for the birds did you? My kids think every painted lady butterfly they see in the yard is one of theirs that they raised.

Now I know we could probably get some caterpillars from the yard and try to raise them ourselves, but I would have to research what kind of food they would need. How would I know what kind of Caterpillar it was, and therefore what food it needed? Sounds like a good homeschool project, huh? Maybe next year :)