Helen from Ladybug Academy has arrived with our “Butterfly Garden” at Tillys Rutherford. We will be learning about the life cycle of the butterfly.
When will the caterpillars turn into a chrysalis?
We have some caterpillars and we expect them to cocoon (also know as a chrysalis) within 3-4 days. As we watch carefully they will find a place to hang and some will go on a bit of a journey trying to find a nice safe place.
How many days will it be a chrysalis?
8-14 days as it depends on the weather. Optimal temperature is above 22 degrees.
We have some caterpillars already in a chrysalis (cocoon). The chrysalis will be bright green for most of the time and when it begins to start turning brown and then see-through, you will be able to see the beautiful butterfly wings through the chrysalis (cocoon) when it is about to emerge.
What do we expect when the butterfly emerges?
The butterfly’s wings will begin small and grow into full size within about 15 minutes of hatching. They can not fly straight away and they will not move far from the chrysalis. They are busy drying their wings out and pumping blood and fluid into them so they can fly. They will rest until they feel ready to fly which can take a few hours.
When do we need to let them go?
Within 24 hours of emerging – they need to find some nectar/food.
We can say goodbye to the butterflies after 3-4 days before we let them go and explore.
We look forward to see the life cycle of the butterfly!
Happy Learning!
