Learn How to Make a Caterpillar and Butterfly Farm

Due to the replacement of the wetlands by commercial businesses and private residents, many natural habitats of butterflies have become scarce, especially the Monarch Butterfly. This butterfly is a signature insect that is not endangered, but sensitive. This instructional design is provided to help young people learn about butterflies, their life cycle, other aspects about survival, and to grow to appreciate nature by observation and interaction with it. The world will go on as usual with or without them, it just won’t be as aesthetically pleasing.

Let’s learn about how to make a caterpillar and butterfly farm to teach students to become more understanding toward a habitat for these insects to exist.

Making a caterpillar/butterfly farm is simple.

Click on Step 1 and Step 2 to see the picture examples.

Step 1 You will need a caterpillar, a deep bucket ( 6 gal.), water bottles, butterfly netting, a roll or two of toilet paper and the food ( plant) that your caterpillar eats.

Step 2 Put the caterpillars in. The bucket can hold a few, but the food has to be changed every 5 days for fresh cuttings.

Added information:The water bottles add weight to the bucket so it won’t fall over. The toilet paper rolls take up extra space between the bottles so everything is fitting snugly. The cuttings of the plant are in a water bottle, but the lid is fitting closely and the plants are forced through the lid. The caterpillars will drown if they get to the water.

Click on the steps to see picture examples.

Step 3 Cut a hole in the lid for air. Put some butterfly netting (tricot fabric) over the top and then add the lid. The caterpillar will climb , but won’t be able to fall out.

Step 4 When a caterpillar turns into a 5instar he will be the size of a small little finger. When he purges he will need to move to a different location to turn into a chrysalis.

There are two different types of life cycles.Dragonflies have an incomplete metamorphosis life cycle. They are nymphs before they are dragonflies.

Butterflies and moths have a complete metamorphosis life cycle. They are caterpillars and make a chrysalis before they are butterflies or moths.

Insect Life Cycle:Incomplete Metamorphosis

• The young insects in this group change shape gradually. They do not look like adults until shedding their last skin. Then there is a change.

A dragonfly, mayfly, and a stonefly are all insects with two sets of wings. They have an Incomplete

Metamorphosis life cycle. They turn into the adult after they shed their last skin.

A dragonfly

A stonefly

A mayfly

Click on the picture to find the names of these

two-winged insects.

Double-winged insects like dragonflies have anIncomplete Metamorphosis Life Cycle

Click on the 5instar nymph and it will turn into a dragonfly when it climbs out his skin.

Can you see the dragonfly climb out of its skin?

5instar

4instar

3instar

2instar

1instar right after it hatches out of the egg

Butterflies and Moths form a chrysalis so they have a Complete Metamorphosis Life Cycle.

• Butterflies curl up to form a chrysalis. They can be in a chrysalis for 10 -12 days, OR they go into hibernation for quite a long time before they transform into a butterfly.

• There are four stages to a Complete Life Cycle.

Insect Life Cycle:Complete Metamorphosis

• Some insects go through 4 stages of growth. None of the young look like the adult. Click on the adult.

This is the adult.

Stage 1: These are butterfly eggs.• Butterflies lay their

eggs on the leaf of the plant that they eat.

• Look on the leaf of a milk weed to find some eggs of the Monarch butterfly.

• Click to watch where the Monarch butterfly lays its eggs.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjwDrMsk5IY&feature=related