Metamorphosis

To begin our investigations of insects this summer we read Children of the Summer about Jean Henri Fabre and are reading now Fabre's Book of Insects aaannnndddd we ordered these caterpillars from Home Science Tools. Inside the cup were five painted lady caterpillars and food for them to eat to grow up big and strong. We set them out of the sun for several days until they began to grow.

After about three days the caterpillars had tripled in size.

Then, they each made themselves a chrysalis.

We placed a Chrysalis or two in each of our butterfly gardens and waited for them to emerge.

Once they emerged from their chrysalises we fed them for a few days with sugar water sprinkled on a flower at the bottom of the butterfly garden.

Then we let them go.