Download Life Cycle of the Butterfly

Life Cycle of the Butterfly
K-5 Science Lab
Introduction:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold,
all things have become new again.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
The metamorphosis of the butterfly is one of God’s greatest examples of how He can change
anything, caterpillars and people alike; and give new life, as butterfly or born again Christian.
Introduce life cycle chart to children and review each stage: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis,
butterfly. Note how the stages make a ‘circle’ or cycle of life. Mention that the success of the
metamorphosis is foremost dependent on the butterfly’s ability to find its host plant to lay
eggs, and then the caterpillar’s ability to eat enough of the host plant to grow large enough to
form its chrysalis. If the eggs or the caterpillar are not on the right plant, they do not grow or
even live. As Christians, if we do not ‘eat’ (or take in) the right things (the Bible and prayer),
we will not grow properly either.
In our centers, we will examine each stage of the butterfly’s life cycle, find out how long each
stage takes, and what is required in each stage.
Supplies Needed
Center#1:
Magnifying glasses,
Host plants with eggs and caterpillars
Cotton balls (3 per student)
Shallow tray of glue
Butterfly ID tags to clip to each student
Branches with leaves to serve as host plants – 4 total
Center #2:
Caterpillars, chrysalis, empty chrysalis, caterpillar skins
Video of metamorphoses
Toilet paper
Center #3:
Butterflies and butterfly wings
Nectar plants
Diagram of butterfly body
Cups with ‘flower lids’ (1 cup per student, coffee filters for the flower lid)
Bendable straws (1 per student)
Gatorade (to be nectar)
Center #1:
Egg to Caterpillar
In this center, we will use magnifying glasses to find eggs and caterpillars on their host plants.
We will also take on the difficult job of the female butterfly and attempt to ‘lay’ some eggs on
the proper host plant.
Background information (parents) – This information is provided so that parents may be
informed and know what questions to ask the students while they observe the specimens. The
information does not need to be taught in detail, just as appropriate.
1. Most butterflies only live a couple of weeks so they don’t have much time to lay their
eggs. They may lay hundreds of eggs.
2. If the eggs are not laid on the right plant, they will hatch but then die. They are too
small to find the right plant when they first hatch. The eggs usually take 3 to 14 days
to hatch.
3. If there is not enough of the host plant for the caterpillar to eat, the caterpillar will
die. The female butterfly will try to lay her eggs on as many plants or at least as
many different leaves as she can find so that each caterpillar will have enough to eat
when it hatches.
Assign each child a certain species name (and ID tag) of butterflies: black swallowtail,
Question mark, fritillary, and monarch. Show them the host plants and discuss the importance
of laying the egg on the correct plant. To lay their eggs, give each child 3 cotton balls, then tell
them they may dip their cotton ball in glue and then find their host plant based on the butterfly
they were assigned. They will have several ‘host plants’ to choose from but only one will be
the right one for their eggs. Ask them what they will consider when placing their eggs (Are
other eggs in the same spot? Are there some leaves that look like they are turning brown and
may fall from the plant? Is there some nice new green growth on the plant?)
Center #2:
Caterpillar to Chrysalis
In this center, we will examine different caterpillars, the chrysalis they form, the skins, and
empty chrysalis cases. We will watch a video segment of the metamorphosis from caterpillar
to chrysalis and then attempt to form our own chrysalis.
Background information (parents): This information is for parents to use in order to know the
right questions to ask during observation.
1. The caterpillar usually takes 7 to 14 days to grow to full size. During this time, it will
go through two or more instars. An instar is defined as a stage between molts, or
shedding of skin. As the caterpillar eats, it grows so fast, it becomes too large for its
skin. So it stops to rest (becomes dormant), and then sheds its skin to reveal a new,
larger and often different colored skin. It will then eat the old skin for nutrients. Large
butterflies shed their skin six times, representing five instars, with the last being the
chrysalis.
2. Since the caterpillar is constantly eating, it is also constantly pooping. The scientific
name for the butterfly’s waste is frass.
3. When the caterpillar is fully grown, he will finally leave the host plant and find a
branch on a tree or some leaf litter on the ground to pupate (form its chrysalis). The
caterpillars on the branches will attach themselves with a little button of thread-like silk
and then hang in a J-shape before shedding their final layer of caterpillar skin. They
may hang for one to two days before making the chrysalis.
Watch the video segment of the change from caterpillar to chrysalis. Then allow children to
take turns wrapping each other in toilet paper to make a ‘chrysalis’. Remind them that a
butterfly DOES NOT form a cocoon even though we are asking them to wrap themselves to
form the chrysalis. Point out how easily the chrysalis (tissue paper) can break if they are not
careful. Then allow them to emerge SLOWLY, dripping wet, so they can move to the next
center and find out what happens from there. If they have already been to Center #3,
encourage them to tell you about the condition of the butterfly when it emerges and what it
does from there. (See Center #3 for facts.)
Center #3:
Chrysalis to Butterfly
In this center, we will observe different chrysalis and the butterflies that emerge. We will
compare the butterflies to our picture of the butterfly body and attempt to identify some of the
body parts. The children will be able to examine empty chrysalis and butterfly wings. We
will learn about the beginning of life for the adult butterfly and how it uses the sun and nectar
plants to maintain its energy. We will pretend to be butterflies sipping nectar using our
proboscis.
Background information (parents): This information is to help parents know what types of
questions to ask the student during observation.
1. When a butterfly first emerges, its wings are wet and crumpled. The butterfly ‘pumps’
its wings up and then must allow them to dry before attempting to fly. If a butterfly
cannot fully extend its wings during this time, its wings will be deformed and it most
likely would be crippled. (If you keep a chrysalis in a cage, always be sure it is large
enough that the butterfly can emerge properly.)
2. Butterflies have four wings. Butterfly wings are made up of many small scales and are
symmetrical. Ask the children if they can figure out what symmetry is.
3. Butterfly bodies consist of the head, the abdomen, the thorax, two antennae, and six
legs.
4. Butterflies use solar power to help them fly. Ask the children to figure out what this
means.
5. Butterflies do not have mouths, and they do not eat. Instead they have a proboscis that
they use to sip nectar from flowers. The proboscis stays coiled up when they are not
sipping nectar.
6. Since butterflies do not eat, they never go to the bathroom. They may occasionally
blow out fluid (a fine mist) from their abdomen if they drink too much nectar.
Allow the children to identify a nectar plant from a group of several plants. Give them their
‘proboscis’ (a straw) and let them sip nectar (from the ‘flowers’ filled with Gatorade). Ask
them if they think some flowers would be better than others for drinking nectar and why.
Vocabulary Words
1. Metamorphosis – change of form. Butterflies don’t grow from child to adult as we do –
they change form from stage to stage.
2. Species – special group of butterflies (or animals or insects or plants) that are similar in
many ways (look the same, grow the same, eat the same things).
3. Egg – See Life Cycle chart.
4. Caterpillar – See Life Cycle chart.
5. Chrysalis – See Life Cycle chart.
6. Butterfly – See Life Cycle chart.
7. Host plant – the name given for a plant if it is used by the butterfly to lay its eggs and
by the caterpillar to eat.
8. Nectar plant – the name given to a plant that provides flowers for the butterfly to drink
from. Not all flowering plants are nectar plants.
9. Instar – time when caterpillar becomes dormant to shed its skin or molt.
10. Frass – caterpillar’s waste
11. Pupate – form chrysalis
12. Proboscis – butterfly’s straw-like tongue used for sipping nectar. It is usually coiled up
when not drinking nectar. See anatomy chart.
13. Abdomen – See anatomy chart
14. Thorax – See anatomy chart
15. Antennae – See anatomy chart.
Butterfly Anatomy
The butterfly's body is covered by tiny sensory hairs. The four wings (made up of scales)
and the six legs of the butterfly are attached to the thorax. The thorax contains the
muscles that make the legs and wings move.
Life Cycle of the Butterfly
The egg is a tiny round, oval or cylindrical object, usually with fine
ribs and other microscopic structures. The female attaches the egg to
leaves, stems, or other objects, usually on or near the intended
caterpillar food.
The caterpillar (or larva) is the long worm-like stage of the butterfly
or moth. It often has an interesting pattern of stripes or patches, and
may have spine-like hairs. It is the feeding and growth stage. As it
grows, it sheds its skin four or more times so as to enclose its rapidly
growing body.
The chrysalis (or pupa) is the transformation stage within which the
caterpillar tissues are broken down and the adult insect's structures
are formed. The chrysalis of most species is brown or green and
blends into the background. Many species overwinter in this stage.
The adult (or imago) is the colorful butterfly or moth we usually see.
It is the reproductive and mobile stage for the species. The adults
undergo courtship, mating, and egg-laying. The adult butterfly or
moth is also the stage that migrates or colonizes new habitats. (Note:
The adult butterfly pictured here is a Swallowtail, not a Monarch).
Web Sites for teacher or parent activities:
http://www.shrewsbury-ma.gov/schools/beal/curriculum/butterfly/butterflies.html
http://www.butterflyschool.org/teacher/aandc.html
http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/jmresources/butbodyparts/
Web sites for kids:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/butterflies/allabout/