the life cycle of a butterfly

To the left is a short paper written by Connor of the important stages of the butterfly (off the top of his head). The picture to the right was done by Camille. I thought it would be an appropriate illustration. Just click on them to see larger.


My children are teaching me about the stages of a butterfly. They catch caterpillars, then they feed it "milkweed" (they find themselves), and then they wait for it to turn into a "chrysalis". While it's in this stage it turns green, black, then clear. Then it turns into the butterfly. (Did you know all that or am I just really not with it?) Camille came home from school on Friday and started to cry because the butterfly had come out of the chrysalis and she was afraid it was going to die. She thought the cage was too small like Connor's when his didn't make it (the wing didn't properly form). I guess there has to be enough room for them to spread their wings out to dry in the sun. Haldan helped her cut open the cage and free the butterfly. Connor helped her put it on a flower to get nectar. The butterfly was healthy and everybody was happy. They only have about twenty more to go. Haldan thinks there's not quite that many because some of them are tent caterpillars. Connor thinks there's one more Monarch and one Victoria. Camille's was a Monarch. It's amazing what I learn from my children. I also just learned another new one from Haldan. He saw an extremely furry caterpillar the other night with a thick brown band on him. He said his Dad used to tell him that the thicker the band, the harder the winter will be. I hope that one isn't true!