Watch caterpillars change into butterflies before your very eyes!

Watch caterpillars change into butterflies before your very eyes!

The First classes have watched the Miracle of Metamorphosis in their very own classroom!

It began with a Cup of Caterpillars and the nutritious food they need to develop into beautiful Painted Lady Butterflies.

We watched very closely as the caterpillars grew bigger and bigger as they ate the food. 

After ten days, the caterpillars stopped eating and climbed to the top of the cup. Once there, they attached themselves to the paper disk under the lid of the cup, they hung upside down and transformed into chrysalides. Unlike a cocoon, which has a silk covering, a chrysalis has a smooth, hard outer covering. Both cocoons and chrysalides are also known as pupae.

The Miracle of Metamorphosis

Once the chrysalides hardened (after about two to three days), we moved them into their butterfly habitat. We carefully removed the lid of the cup and pinned the paper disk with the chrysalides attached to the lower inside of the habitat.

For approximately seven to ten days, an amazing change took place inside the chrysalides! The caterpillar transformed into a beautiful butterfly.

The new butterflies emerged, and they needed food. So we placed fresh flowers in the butterfly habitat for your butterflies to rest on while feeding. To make the nectar, we mixed 3 teaspoons of sugar with 1 cup of water. Then sprinkled a few drops of this nectar on the blossoms. 

In a few days we will have to take the habitat outdoors and set the butterflies free.