My Painted Lady Butterflies

My Painted Lady caterpillars

I was as excited as any kid the Butterfly Garden was made for when I opened it up and saw the little caterpillars in the jar.

Sue Silverstein texted me a few days ago saying that she and her son Gabe raised butterflies and ladybugs when he was a kid. “You should do it!  She texted me “It’s amazing actually.”

The Butterfly Garden that Sue sent me came in today’s mail.

Your caterpillars may not be active at first, the instructions instructed, but don’t throw them away, they’re alive.  Give them 48 hours to adjust. 

But my caterpillars seem well adjusted.

One was already climbing up the side of the jar.  As they grow they’ll shed their exoskeletons then after 7-10 days they’ll attach themselves to the lid of the jar and harden into chrysalides.

After three more days, I’ll open the lid and prop it up in the little plastic stand that looks like a log inside the mesh enclosure that comes with the kit.

After another 7-10 days, the Painted Lady Butterflies will emerge.   I’ll feed them some sugar water and fruit and a few days later set them free.

And you know I’ll be writing about it, complete with photos, every step of the way.

 

 

6 thoughts on “My Painted Lady Butterflies

  1. I’m excited for you! I have a mesh enclosure that I’ve used to collect monarch caterpillars. It’s so interesting watching them spin into a chrysalis and then emerge as a butterfly. Truly another one of nature’s miracles.

  2. How exciting. Your curiosity and enthusiam would make you a great teacher. I always found that if I were excited about something my students would be too. In a way, all of your “viewers” are like students and we learn from you all of the time.
    Thank you for sharing.

    1. I found that about enthusiam too Jane. I’m glad I have a place to put it. When I don’t get to share it, it gets all bottled up!

  3. This is such a fun and amazing journey. Each year in the late summer I collect some of the black swallowtail catapillars from my dill garden and my preschool students learn their first really big word ….metamorphosis and a simple definition … it means to change. It is so amazing for them to watch this wonderful process that in the spring I order the Painted Lady catapillars to do it again. The awesome thing is the different catapillars spin their chrysalis in different ways. It totally amazes me and my students and releasing the butterflies is the best part ! Have fun wth your Butterfly Garden! Thank you for all of your wonderful posts!

    1. Oh lucky students you have Josie! Now you’ve got me thinking that each year I’ll get different caterpillars and watch them change into butterflies or moths.

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