Butterflies.... I could watch them all day long. They are just so graceful and elegant, and their colors dazzling.
The kids and I decided to take our butterfly watching to a new level by growing the caterpillars inside and watching them develop into butterflies. We used a company called Insect Lore. They also have kits for ladybugs, ants, and praying mantis.
The process was a lot more simple than I had imagined it would be. The kit arrived in the mail containing everything we needed from start to finish. I ordered two sets of butterflies (because just one set seemed silly). They arrived in a plastic cup with a special lid that allows them to get air, and also acts as the spot where they will attach themselves when forming the chrysalis.
We also ordered a Ladybug Kit. The Larvae, and it's food come in a little tube that looks like a beaker. You just pop the top off of their habitat and tap them in. Once a day or so, you put a drop or two of water on a little felt pad and you are good to go!
The kids and I decided to take our butterfly watching to a new level by growing the caterpillars inside and watching them develop into butterflies. We used a company called Insect Lore. They also have kits for ladybugs, ants, and praying mantis.
The process was a lot more simple than I had imagined it would be. The kit arrived in the mail containing everything we needed from start to finish. I ordered two sets of butterflies (because just one set seemed silly). They arrived in a plastic cup with a special lid that allows them to get air, and also acts as the spot where they will attach themselves when forming the chrysalis.
We also ordered a Ladybug Kit. The Larvae, and it's food come in a little tube that looks like a beaker. You just pop the top off of their habitat and tap them in. Once a day or so, you put a drop or two of water on a little felt pad and you are good to go!
The food for the caterpillars comes in the bottom of their cup. It looks like brown squishy playdoh. We could not believe how fast they grow! We actually kept them all gathered on a tray in the middle of our dining room table, where we spend a lot of time, to observe. It seemed like every time we came back they had grown. It was honestly creepy and cool all at the same time.
Once it was time the caterpillars obviously knew what to do because within about 24 hours all of them had attached to the roof of the cup to begin the next stage of their journey.
When the caterpillars had hardened into a chrysalis, we took the lid off and placed it in the tiny cardboard holder that came with the kit and set it inside the mesh butterfly net.
It took about a week and they began to emerge. One after another until we had 10 beautiful Painted Lady Butterflies flitting around sipping on orange halves.
The Ladybugs were a little less glorious to watch, but interesting nonetheless. They, too, go through a molting phase before they become the pretty little bugs they were meant to be. They were a bit more 'camera shy', and I couldn't get any good pictures of the larvae stage.
Eventually we had to let them go 'Be Free!' I think we were all a bit sad to watch them go, but they were ready. One by one they fly out and into the sunshine! The ladybugs were put into the garden to begin their wild and crazy life.
The fun part is that to do it all over again we just need to buy refill kits of the caterpillars and ladybug larvae. I think we might have started a Spring tradition.
They ship most of the year, except when temperatures are too hot for them to ship live creatures.
What are you waiting for...Click on over to Insect Lore.
Channon
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