Best Reference and Teaching Source

It is kind of an older book, but it is very helpful and full of activities and information on raising butterflies. It covers the life cycle and development of Vanessa Cardui so it became a much needed resource for this blog.

National Science Resources Center. 1992. The life cycle of butterflies: Teacher's guide. Burlington, NC: Carolina Biological Supply Company.

Finally flying?

Today, I went in to go check on my butterfly's progress and found an empty chrysalis but no butterfly. Unfortunately, someone had taken out all of the butterflies that were in the greenhouse. I am really sad that I missed the most exciting part of the life cycle of my little Heraldo. Since I did not get to see this part of the process, I used reference materials to gather information on what happens in this final stage.
According to "The Butterfly Emerges" in the Life Cycle of Butterflies, it only takes about 30 seconds for the butterfly to escape little chrysalis. Since it has been crammed in such a small space, the wings of the butterfly are very wrinkled and crumpled. It takes about two or three hours of resting for the butterfly to force fluid in its wings in order to expand and harden them. Interestingly enough, the butterfly has a broken proboscis when it first emerges. The proboscis is how the butterfly feeds on nectar. During the resting period, the butterfly has to connect the proboscis through its interlocking spines.
The final step for the new butterfly is the expulsion of waste tissue left over from time it spent in a chrysalis. This is called meconium and although it is red, it is not blood.
In the end, the butterfly should be able to fly away and feed on sweet nectar from plants and fruits. It is a shame that I never got to see my butterfly fly away. Maybe he looks like this up in heaven....

Stuck in a Chysalis

My caterpillar could be a butterfly by now, but I have no idea since I'm unable to observe him in the greenhouse. He is locked in the science building greenhouse for the weekend. I'm hoping that when I go and check on him tomorrow, that he will be butterfly! I have heard reports from my friends that more of their caterpillars have turned into butterflies on Friday, so maybe that means there is hope for mine.

Any Day Now

If you can't tell, I'm not a very patient person when it comes to exciting things like Heraldo emerging as a butterfly. He has been in there way longer then was predicted. With the light coming in through the windows, it is clear that he is no longer liquid mush in the chrysalis. It is very faint, but I can make out the wings. Hopefully, this means he will come out tonight or tomorrow. The chrysalis is still slightly darker, but still see-through enough that I can see his faint little outline. I'm excited to come back tomorrow and see what things have happened overnight!

Counting the Days...

Day 12 in a chrysalis and it is beginning to look different. It seems to be a bit darker. I have read that this is a sign that he might be coming out soon. The size is the same before. Perhaps he will come out tomorrow??

No One Likes Waiting

No one particularly enjoys waiting for some big exciting event to happen, but often the extra waiting time makes the end result that much more exciting. I am hoping the same will be true for Heraldo as he is currently been in the chrysalis stage for 11 days and there is no sign that he will be emerging any day soon. The chrysalis is about an inch long, a yellow-brown color and still appears a little glossy or shiny. Maybe the butterfly he is becoming will emerge soon!

Waiting...

Today has marked a week and half (10 days) since Heraldo went into a chrysalis. I haven't noted any big changes, but it almost seems as though his chrysalis is shrinking in size. I don't know if it is supposed to do that, or if it means that he is dying or what. The color is a brown-green with some shiny flecks in it. If I had to predict when he would come out, I would say Saturday. That would make it nearly 2 weeks, which is past the predicted 10 day period of remaining in a chrysalis.

Picture Time!

I finally remembered to bring my camera and take a picture of Heraldo's chrysalis. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I will let the picture speak for itself...

Games

I found this really sweet sight that teaches about butterfly habitat, senses, various body parts, and has an overall quiz on butterfly facts. I would definitely encourage you to use this resource. It was challenging for me, but also very educational.

http://www.ansp.org/museum/butterflies/new_interactive/butterflies.html

The following website has a build-your-own butterfly game that would be very appropriate for elementary school level. It includes facts about a wide variety of butterflies, and also includes a writing activity that the student will complete in regards to the butterfly he or she created.
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/butterflies/game/game.htm

This next game is designed for kindergartners, and simply teaches the four stages of a butterfly's life cycle. It is pretty simple, but the student would need to be taught how to say words such as chrysalis and caterpillar.
http://www.cookie.com/kids/games/butterfly-life-cycle.html

Another excellent website to show the life cycle of the butterfly is found below. It is more visually based then word based, and also helps encourage thinking chronologically.

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/scienceforkids/life_cycle/butterfly_lifecycle.htm

There are so many resources out there to help teach and supplement lessons about butterflies in a fun yet educational way.

Another update on Heraldo: Still in the chrysalis stage and will probably be in there for about another week.

No Eating for Two Weeks?

If I could not eat for two weeks or longer, I would surely die. I can barely skip a meal without feeling like I would pass out from hunger. Thankfully, I haven't ever had to go hungry. Heraldo is currently on day 7 without eating, and I have a feeling he has a long time still to go in the chrysalis. I wonder if he had to store up nutrients before he went into the stage, or if his body simply does not need food at this time. There are so many unknowns about the chrysalis stage of butterflies. Some other types of butterflies can be in the chrysalis for months, and will often use this time as a way to survive through the winter. That reminds me of a hibernating bear, except bears don't completely change forms by the time they wake up! The chrysalis looks as same as ever--a solid, somewhat glossy, casing around little Heraldo.

Differences between a Moth and a Butterfly

I have already talked a little bit about the differences between moths and butterflies. One difference is in the pupa stage of their life cycle. As discussed previously, butterflies form chrysalises, while moths make cocoons. (see 2/6/12 for a more thorough explanation). There are many other differences between these two similar flying insects.

Butterflies: 
-typically fly during the day
-knobs on the end of the feelers
-rest with wings pointing up
-typically have bright colored wings, but this is not the best way to determine if it's a butterfly or not
-body is typically smooth
-shape similar to the outline to the left

Moths:
-typically fly at night
-at the end of feelers are hooks or have a feather-like apperance
-rest with wings open
-typically are duller in color, though, as stated above, the color is not the best way to figure out if it is a butterfly or moth.
-body is fat and furry


Here is a resource for where I found the information: http://library.thinkquest.org/J002124/moths.htm
It also has other information about butterflies and their life cycles.

A quick, yet very boring update, on Heraldo: he is still in the chrysalis.

Pretty Sweet Time lapse

I would really recommend watching this time lapse video of painted lady butterflies. It's really well done, and shows numerous butterflies going from a caterpillar, to chrysalis and then a full butterfly. Very cool! If only I could see my caterpillar do this. Right now Harry is in the school's green house and is still very much in his little chrysalis. Nothing too exciting there.

The Big Move

Today I brought Heraldo on probably the second scariest journey of his life (the first was definitely the move to my room). Currently, Heraldo is relaxing in a nice chrysalis on the top of my jar. As he swung precariously, I carried his jar from my dorm room all the way to the science building. I was so scared that he would fall and then he would die. In order for proper development, he has to remain hanging upside down. Thankfully, he held tightly to the top of the jar and somehow did not detach. Once I got to the science building, I and some other students brought our chrysalises into the school greenhouse. I took the top of my jar off (it is a canning jar), and balanced it between two pots. That way I did not have to deal with the craziness of trying to attach the chrysalis to a different surface. I am kind of sad to move him here as now I won't be able to see the chrysalis open up, but I think it will be a better spot for him. I will keep checking up on him daily, and also bring some oranges into the greenhouse so he has something to eat once he comes out.

What is the Chrysalis Stage?

I know have briefly mentioned the word "chrysalis" in other posts and noted that my caterpillar was in this very important stage of his butterfly life cycle. There is not much information on this stage, as it is not even known to scientists how this process happens or what exactly takes place while the caterpillar is in the chrysalis. During the next ten to twelve days, the caterpillar will undergo numerous changes to completely transform into a butterfly. Heraldo will even become a liquid during this stage. At the very beginning, it was clear that there was still a caterpillar in the chrysalis but by the third day the chrysalis seemed to have fully hardened and Heraldo turned into a liquid.

From the Mouth of Heraldo

chrysalis  (krĭs'ə-lĭs)   

1.   The pupa of certain kinds of insects, especially of moths andbutterflies, that is inactive and enclosed in a firm case orcocoon from which the adult eventually emerges.

2.   The case or cocoon of a chrysalis. 

That big word defined above is the stage I am currently in. This is the time when all the exciting changes take place in a process called metamorphosis. During this stage I’m going from a caterpillar to a butterfly. Right now, I just look like I’m hanging upside down in a sack. I started preparing for this stage when I was about 12 days old. My owner decided to transfer me from my cozy little container into a big glass jar, so the climb to the top of the jar was a little challenging. Thankfully, I have nice sticky feet that allow me to cling to nearly any surface. Once I reached the top of the jar, I centered myself nicely on the top and then hung upside, kind of like you would hang upside down from the monkey bars. For two days you could tell I was still a caterpillar, but now, on the third day, my chrysalis is looking pretty sweet. It has a nice gold luster to it, similar looking to fish scales. I have heard that I will have to be in this stage for about 10 days, but changing into a butterfly is a lot of work and may take more time then that. I will let you know when I come out of my cozy little chrysalis. Now it's time for me to get back to my resting so that I can keep up with all of these changes. 

Chrysalis vs. Cocoon

I have often used the words chrysalis and cocoon interchangeably when discussing the stage in metamorphosis when a butterfly goes from a caterpillar to a butterfly. I've come to find out that a cocoon is generally used in reference to moths--they wrap themselves in a silk layer to create the cocoon. Butterflies on the other hand, make chrysalises. This is composed of a hard, chitinous shell. My butterfly is most definitely in a chrysalis as it appears hard, smooth, and shiny. It has been in there for about two days now, and the shell is becoming more opaque as the caterpillar is undergoing its transformations. It is about an inch long, and a quarter inch wide.

For more specific information: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_difference_between_a_cocoon_and_a_chrysalis&altQ=What_is_the_difference_between_a_cryisilis_and_a_cocoon

The Beginnings of a New Stage

Today Heraldo climbed up the sides of the cup and has begun hanging upside down on the cover. He is right in the middle, and is a little curled up. He is attached by silk thread. I think it is interesting how he is centered right in the middle of the cup. It's also really cool how he can just hang upside down by such a little silk connection. These steps signal that Heraldo is beginning a new phase of his short little life--he will soon be in a chrysalis.

Growing, Growing, Growing!

First day 

Fourth day 

Fifth day

Eighth day

Tenth day 

Twelfth day 

Silk Spinning

Some of my friends have commented during class, that they have seen silk or web-like material in their caterpillar's cups. I never saw it until I moved my caterpillar into a bigger jar. I moved him into a jar so that he would have room to make his chrysalis and fly around once he comes out of the chrysalis. The silk threads are so fine and delicate that it difficult to see them unless you are very close. When I opened up my cup I ended up breaking a bunch of silk connections as they were attached to the top of the cup and all over the inside. My caterpillar is over an inch long now (probably close to 3.8 centimeters). His mouth parts are very clear and dark, and he has a distinct stripe pattern. Also clear to see are the bristles that cover his body. I think he will be soon working on a chrysalis as he has been in the caterpillar stage for over 12 days now.

"I'm shrinking!"

Believe it or not, but I think my caterpillar actually shrunk over night. He seems fatter, but much shorter in length. I have read that this is normal, as it shows that he is preparing to go into the next phase of his life cycle. I was worried that he wasn't getting enough food or something, but hopefully all goes well and he will be in the next stage in a few days.

It's not poop....

Since about the third day of observing, I have noticed these small black dots on the bottom of the container. I just assumed that it was his poop only to discover that it is actually the sign that he molted--its his old layers. By the end of his caterpillar life, he will have molted about four or five times.As he grows he sheds one layer for a layer more suitable for his size. Currently there are three on the bottom of the container.

Socialization

One of my friends asked me if butterflies/caterpillars socialize. It was really hard to find an answer but I found some information about how butterflies migrate and communicate. A group of butterflies can be called a lek, swarm, or a rabble. When butterflies migrate, they often travel in large groups or swarms to a different part of the country or world that has a more suitable climate for their needs. As for communication, butterflies use a wide variety of means to pass messages between other members of their species. Color, chemicals, sounds, and physical actions can all convey meaning to another butterfly. Males may have bright or unique patterns to attract members of the opposite gender. Chemical pheromones also help mates find each other and signal courtship availability. Territorial postures or clicking sounds are used to defend a certain area or ward off another male. (http://www.amazingbutterflies.com/frequentlyaskedquestions.htm)

Below is an amazing image of a swarm of monarch butterflies.

http://arkansasagnews.uark.edu/609.htm

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_group_of_butterflies_called

So Big!

My caterpillar is very furry-looking, even though he technically does not have any fur. He has little spikes all over, and is a blue-grey color with white spots. As for his length, he is continually getting bigger and fatter and is about an inch and a half. He moves around a lot and his food supply is quickly diminishing. If he doesn't turn into a chrysalis soon then I will have to obtain more food from my professor.

The Name

Heraldo--a fancy form of Harold. Harold means "army commander"
Where I got the name: My suitemates. We're calling him "Harry" for short. At the rate he's growing, this name seems pretty fitting. Already, just a few days of observing him and he has nearly tripled in size. He's getting pretty scary looking.
He is beginning to move around a lot more, and has even gotten a little furry.

Spikey Heraldo

Alright, so maybe Heraldo is not covered in spikes. The technical term for the pokey little hairs all over his body is bristles. These bristles actually serve as a type of camouflage for the caterpillar as it reduces the amount of light that reflects off of him. As a result, he is less noticeable to any prey such as birds or other animals. The bristles also deter birds from trying to eat him as it is difficult to swallow such a spikey little creature. Heraldo has been growing these bristles in the past few days and they help make him look bigger. He is about an inch long currently.

Gender

Is it possible to tell if my caterpillar is a boy or a girl? I did some research and found that basically the only way to tell is dissect him and look for certain parts. Other ways would be to put it in alcohol and observe it through the transparent skin. Unfortunately, both of those methods would kill my little caterpillar and I need him to stay alive until he flies for my project. The site I looked at mentions that male caterpillars are typically more colorful and brighter, while females are larger in size. Perhaps when he flies I will be able to compare him to others and guess if he is male or female. 

Here's a reference in case you want to dissect your caterpillar. There are step by step instructions for determining the gender. http://www.ehow.com/how_5911369_determine-caterpillar-male-female_.html 

Crawling around

As my caterpillar is getting bigger, he seems to move around a little more. Most of the time he just sits in one spot eating, but today he seemed especially active. One of the things I have noticed about his legs is that there are gaps between sections of legs. There are three groups of legs--the front set of six legs look more like feelers, the next two sets of legs (eight and two legs, respectively) seem to be more solid and leg like. It almost seems like he has some sort of suction cups on them as he is able to cling to the sides of the cup or even on the top of the cup. I wanted to learn how he can cling to the walls or basically any surface it seems.
According to the book A Life Cycle of Butterflies, the front legs are considered to be "true legs" while the majority of the back legs are called "prolegs". These prolegs have "rings of microscopic bristles shaped like crochet hooks" (NSRC, p. 28). These act like suction cups and help the caterpillar cling to any surface. This can all be illustrated in the following diagram:

Vanessa Cardui

Since I will be in charge of keeping Heraldo alive for as long as possibly--preferably until he flies--I figured I should probably do some basic research on this species of butterfly and see if I need to do anything special for it. Below is some general information I have discovered about what he will eventually looks like, his diet, common habitat in the wild, as well as the stages of life he will go through.

Myers, P., R. Espinosa, C. S. Parr, T. Jones, G. S. Hammond, and T. A. Dewey. 2012. The Animal Diversity Web (online). Accessed a http://animaldiversity.org.

Overall, this species of butterfly seems to be very hardy and versatile. It can be found almost anywhere in the world besides South America, the Arctic or Australia. It also feeds on hundreds of different plants, specifically thistles and hollyhocks. In fact, it likes thistles so much that it has earned the name "Thistle Butterfly" after its food source. Since I will be raising him indoors, the caterpillar is currently eating a food paste provided by the company we bought the caterpillars from. When he turns into a butterfly, I will provide oranges or other nectar-like fruit for him to feed on.
Based on information from about.com, I found the following outline of this species' life-cycle:

 Egg - Mint green, barrel-shaped eggs are laid singly on the leaves of host plants, and             hatch in 3-5 days. Larva - The caterpillar has five instars over 12-18 days. Pupa - The chrysalis stage lasts about 10 days.Adult - Butterflies live for just two weeks. (Painted Lady Butterfly) 

I am excited to see him go through the stages. For the next week or so, he will be growing rapidly!

Intro to the Caterpillar Stage

After hatching from an egg, a butterfly begins the caterpillar stage. During this time, it grows rapidly and will shed its skin four or more times. I have not yet seen my caterpillar's shed skin, but it is already bigger today than it was yesterday. I have also observed some of my friends' caterpillars, and theirs are all at different stages of growth. Mine seems fairly average when compared to the others. Much of my caterpillar's time is spent feeding  on the bottom of the small carton I have have him in.
My particular species of caterpillar is the Vanessa Cardui, also known as the Painted Lady Butterfly. According to online information about this species of butterfly, it will probably be in the caterpillar stage for 12-18 days. (http://insects.about.com/od/butterfliesmoths/p/Vcardui.htm)

How it all begins...

Today I picked up my little creature after receiving an email from my teacher. I had heard about this project from previous classes, but nothing prepared me for the excitement of having my own little caterpillar to raise. There was also great nervousness as I knew my grade depended on this little guy's survival.
When I arrived at my Professor's office, I found a little jar filled with tiny little larva. There was a second jar full of a funky-looking peanut butter substance, aka, caterpillar food. After reading over the instructions about 5 times, my friend Kelsi and I began the process of getting our caterpillars.
Step 1: Make sure all utensils and hands are clean
Step 2: Take a small little plastic container
Step 3: Fill up the container with about a 1/4inch of food. Pack this down using the bottom of another container.
Step 4: Take a paintbrush and choose a caterpillar. Put the caterpillar into the container.
Step 5: Keep it alive somehow.

So far, the biggest challenge has been finding a safe place for the little guy. He's supposed to stay out of direct sunlight, extreme heat or cold (which is difficult in my room), plus remain as undisturbed as possible. I think his first day has been kind of traumatic. He has already suffered a 3ft drop, a 5 minute walk outside in 10 degree weather, and endured much excitement as I introduced him to all my friends. Currently, he hasn't moved for the past hour or so. Hopefully he is not dead!