There is something captivating about a butterfly, don’t you think? And for those who aren’t endeared to the beautiful butterfly, perhaps the crawly caterpillar? 

Following the life cycle of a butterfly is a fun way to capture a child’s interest and imagination, to get into nature and do some hands on scientific investigation!  

A great place to start is a local butterfly garden, if you are lucky enough to have one nearby.  If not, chances are you have butterflies in and around your home or favorite park.  This site has some great ideas for creating a garden with children and activities for learning about the various creatures that come to live there.

After observing butterflies and/or caterpillars in their natural habitat, you may want to learn a bit more about them on the internet.  This site has a straightforward explanation of the butterfly life cycle and anatomy, as well as an extensive list of resources if you check out the “teaching and learning tools” section.

If you are ready to observe the butterfly life cycle, making a butterfly habitat is a quick and fun family craft.  You will need a box, some tulle or netting, glue, tape, and a box cutter.

 

Choose a sturdy box, preferably with a lid that will easily open and close.  If you have a budding artist in the family, encourage box decoration prior to cutting your observation windows!  Once the box is sufficiently decorated, cut windows to fit the netting you are planning to use.  You may want to use some tape to secure any ends of the box that may come open. 

Once the windows are in place, apply a heavy coating of glue around the edges of each window, one at a time.  Stick the netting into the glue and smooth it down so there are no escape paths.  Allow your glue to dry and you’re ready to find some eggs or caterpillars!  This site can help identify a caterpillar – once identified, do a search to find out what kind of plants your new friend likes to eat. Choosing caterpillars from your area to observe eliminates the concern of introducing disease or genetic mutations from purchased butterfly kits.

Once your butterfly emerges, take some time to observe it before setting it free again in your back yard.  It is especially fascinating to watch them eat.  Sliced fruit or sugar water sprinkled on flowers will feed them for a short time. 

Happy exploring!

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