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Application –This is a great activity to demonstrate the butterfly life cycle. The adult lays eggs on grass stems and under leaves. The caterpillar emerges from the egg and feeds on leaves, building up its body weight and then turns into a pupa. Inside the pupa or chrysalis the body of the caterpillar is broken down and the tissues are rebuilt to produce the body of a butterfly. Once the adult butterfly is ready to emerge the pupa splits and the butterfly crawls out. Its crumpled wings are spread out to dry and harden in preparation for flight.
Season - Summer Resources – |
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Activity – In the summer gather butterfly or moth eggs in small boxes lined with blotting paper. Keep the lid on the boxes until the eggs hatch. Transfer the caterpillars with an old paintbrush to a box containing young leaves of their food plant. Give them fresh leaves each day and keep the lid on the box. Do not put air holes in the lid - there is enough air in the box to last. As the caterpillars get larger transfer them into a case, like the one in the diagram. Roll up a length of acetate e.g. an OHP sheet and fix it with sticky tape. Use the lids of small tins to form the base and lid. The pupae form on the food plant or lid of the case. When they are ready to emerge in early summer transfer them to a butterfly cage on some damp moss and give them some twigs to cling to on emerging. Release the adults into the wild.
Risk assessment – No undue risk
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