Life Cycle Miracle Painted Lady Butterfly Hatching Project

Transcription

1 Life Cycle Miracle Painted Lady Butterfly Hatching Project K-State Research and Extension-Sedgwick County 7001 W. 21 st St. North Wichita, KS (316) Fax (316)

2 Life Cycle Miracle Teacher s Outline Painted Lady Butterfly Hatching Project Written by Lynn Woolf K-State Research and Extension-Sedgwick County 7001 W. 21 st St. North Wichita, KS (316) Fax (316)

3 Table of Contents Painted Lady Butterfly Hatching Project 4 Objectives 4 Materials 5 Steps to Success 6 Summary of Life Cycle Details 7 Life Cycle Facts 8 Label Me: Parts of a Butterfly 9 Answers for Label Me: Parts of a Butterfly 10 Caring for your Painted Lady Butterfly larvae 11 Track the changes of your Painted Lady Butterfly 12 Did you know? 13 Comparisons with moths 14 School Enrichment Team visit 15 Additional learning ideas 16 Resources 17 Standards 19 Copy masters 20 3

4 Life Cycle Miracle Painted Lady Butterfly Hatching Project Suggested grades: 2 nd, 3 rd and 4 th Butterflies are colorful, diverse insects that capture our imagination and inspire creativity. Their images have adorned clothing, jewelry, paintings and more. Children are fascinated by their beauty and flight patterns. The Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) is one of the most widespread of all butterflies. It is found on every continent except Antarctica. Hatching Painted Lady butterflies in the classroom provides a rich, hand-on learning experience. Students will learn about a butterfly s life cycle, body structure, and its connection to the environment. Throughout the hatching project, students will gain important skills regarding observation and comparison. They will also have fun imagining where their Painted Ladies will travel after they are released. Objectives Students will be able to describe the life cycle of a butterfly. Students will be able to compare the similarities and differences between a butterfly and a moth. Students will be able to describe the role of a butterfly in its environment. 4

5 Materials Each class will need: 1. One butterfly cage provided by the teacher. Possibilities include: Pop-open mesh laundry bag with removable felt-velcro lid. o Dimensions: 22 in. high x 14 in. wide x 14 in. deep or similar size mesh laundry hamper. o Based on the dimensions above, purchase ½ yard of felt and cut into a 14-in. by 14-in. square. o Purchase two packages of 6-foot Velco fasteners, with sticky backs. o Cut four 14-in. Velcro hook strips, attaching each to a side of the felt square. o Cut four 14-in. Velcro loop strips, attaching to each side of the bag s top. o Secure lid to top of bag. Aquarium or plastic tub, with lid. o Suggested lid: Netting or cheesecloth cut to fit slightly larger than the top of the aquarium or tub. Attach short Velcro strip to each side of netting. Attach matching strip in corresponding location on aquarium or tub. Secure netting lid to top of aquarium or tub. Purchased cages from butterfly supply vendors. 2. Safe location for the butterfly cage. The location should be out of direct sunlight. 3. Painted lady butterfly larvae, purchased through the Sedgwick County Extension Education Center, or on your own. 4. Additional supplies, including fine mist spray bottle, paper clips or tape, paper towels, brown sugar, tablespoon, small plate or shallow dish, and several oranges. 5

6 Steps to Success 1. Return the order form and payment to the Sedgwick County Extension Education Center, 4-H Department. 2. Make or purchase butterfly cage before arrival of larvae, and secure the additional supplies. 3. Secure a spot in the classroom for observation. Location should be at standard room temperature, dry and out of direct sunlight. 4. Pick up larvae on scheduled date and schedule a classroom visit by a Kansas State University s Sedgwick County Extension 4-H school enrichment team member. 5. Care for the larvae following the instructions provided by the Sedgwick County Extension office. 6. Observe life cycle changes using the chart provided by the Sedgwick County Extension office. 7. Facilitate the classroom visit. 8. Consider additional learning activities, including coloring pages, bookmarks and word find (included in teacher s guide). 9. Release the butterfly when daytime temperatures are at least 70 degrees. 6

7 Summary of Life Cycle Details 1. The eggs take 3 to 5 days to hatch into a caterpillar. The Painted Lady caterpillar is black with spiked skin. 2. The caterpillar takes 7 to 11 days to turn into a pupa or chrysalis. 3. It will take 7 to 11 days for the chrysalis to turn into a butterfly. 4. The Painted Lady butterfly will have a wing span of 2 inches. 5. The butterfly can be released outside when daytime temperatures are 70 F or higher. It will live for about two weeks and travel nearly 1,000 miles in its lifetime. 6. Painted Lady butterflies migrate in one direction. Each spring, they fly northward from the warm regions near the equator. Most of the Painted Ladies we see have arrived from the deserts of Arizona and Mexico. 7. Painted Lady butterflies have been found on every continent except Antarctica. 7

8 Life Cycle Facts 1. The female Painted Lady butterfly lays her eggs on a plant leaf. She chooses a plant that the caterpillars, which grow from the eggs, can eat. These plants include mallows, thistles and dandelions. 2. The eggs hatch into small larva or caterpillars. The caterpillars of the Painted Lady butterflies are black to purple in color, with yellowish-green stripes and long spines. 3. The caterpillar eats and grows a tremendous amount. Its skin becomes too small for its growing body. The skin, or exoskeleton, splits and then sheds several times as it grows. 4. When the caterpillar is finished growing, it will find a safe place to rest, such as the underside of a leaf or branch. A silk thread then comes out of a hole below its mouth. The caterpillar spins enough thread to make a soft pad to which it will attach. 5. The caterpillar uses its prolegs, hangs from its rear and sheds its skin for the last time, revealing the pupa or chrysalis. The pupal stage of the chrysalis resembles a mummy. It is hard for protection. 6. Inside the pupa, the caterpillar begins to change into a butterfly. The butterfly is the adult stage. The changes include: Four large, scaly wings develop The prolegs disappear and three pairs of jointed legs grow. Mouthparts change and a proboscis forms. Large, compound eyes grow allowing the butterfly to see color and in all directions. The caterpillar was only able to see shades of green. Long antennae grow to pick up scent. 7. Toward the end of the pupal stage, the chrysalis becomes more clear and the butterfly can be seen. 8. When the butterfly comes out of the chrysalis, its wings are soft and wrinkled. They will become hard and strong within a few hours. 9. The proboscis is in two long pieces as the butterfly emerges from the chrysalis. It will zip its mouthpart together to form a sipping straw to gather nectar from flowers, such as asters, thistles and cosmos. 10. The adult butterflies will live approximately 2 weeks. Once they have emerged, they have only one mission to sip nectar and reproduce. Male Painted Lady butterflies have smaller abdomens than females. 8

9 Label Me: Parts of a Butterfly Abdomen - The abdomen is the segmented tail area of an insect that contains the heart, Malpighian tubules (organs that remove waste), reproductive organs, and most of the digestive system. Antenna - An antenna is a sensory appendage that is attached to the head of adult insects. Antennae are used for the sense of smell and balance. Butterflies have two antennae with clubs at the end. Compound Eye - Insect compound eyes are made up of many hexagonal lenses. Fore wing - The fore wings are the two upper wings. Head - The head is the part of the insect that contains the brain, two compound eyes, the proboscis, and the pharynx (the start of the digestive system). The two antennae are attached to the head. Hind wing - The hind wings are the two lower wings. Leg - All adult butterflies have six legs. The two forelegs of some butterfly species are tiny. Proboscis - Adult butterflies sip nectar and other liquids using a spiral, straw-like proboscis located on their head. Thorax - The thorax is the body section between the head and the abdomen. The legs and wings attach to the thorax. 9

10 Answers for Label Me: Parts of a Butterfly 10

11 Caring for your Painted Lady Butterfly larvae 1. Place larvae container in classroom, out of direct sunlight, but visible for observation. 2. Begin observing and tracking changes on the observation sheet. The larvae take 7 to 11 days to each make a chrysalis, or pupa. 3. Prepare a butterfly cage and lid. Line the bottom of the cage with paper towels. If using a mesh container, have paperclips nearby for later use. If using a glass or plastic container, have tape nearby for later use. 4. Watch for the larvae to form chrysalises. They will attach to the paper under the container s lid. After all the chrysalises have formed, wait one more day to ensure all have properly dried. 5. Open the container s lid and carefully remove the paper. If using a mesh cage, use paper clips to attach the paper to the side of the cage. Open the paper clips wide enough that you can insert one end into the paper. Attach the paper (with chrysalises) to the side of the butterfly cage, inserting the other end of the paper clip into the mesh. If a chrysalis detaches, gently place it near the bottom side of the cage. If using a glass or plastic tub, tape the paper to the side. 6. Continue observing the chrysalises. Lightly mist them with water once or twice a day. 7. The chrysalises will darken when the butterfly is close to hatching. It will take 7 to 11 days for the chrysalis to turn into a butterfly. 8. When hatching is near, prepare food and place it at bottom of cage. Food options: 20% sugar-water solution method: Mix five tablespoons of brown sugar with 1 cup of water. Soak two paper towels in the solution until fully wet. Place wet paper towels on a plate or in a shallow bowl. Store remainder at room temperature. Cut several orange wedges and place near solution. Replace paper towels and oranges as they dry. You may need to fix additional batches of the sugar-water solution. Artificial food method: Purchase on your own. Mix and use according to instructions. 9. As the butterflies hatch, they may excrete a red-colored liquid called meconium. 10. When all butterflies have hatched, remove the paper and the chrysalis remains. Continue to mist the butterflies daily. Replace the paper towels (soaked in the sugarwater solution) or oranges when they dry out. 11. Continue observation. Release the butterflies when the outside daytime temperatures are 70 F or higher. 11

12 Track the changes of your Painted Lady Butterfly Date the larvae arrived How many larvae do we have? Draw a picture of a larva. What date did they start spitting silk? How many days did they spit silk? What date did they begin forming chrysalises? How many days before they began hatching? How many butterflies do we have? Date we released them Draw a picture of your butterfly. 12

13 Did you know? 1. A scientist who studies butterflies is called a lepidopterist. 2. Butterflies range in size from 1/8 inch to almost 12 inches. 3. Butterflies can see red, green, and yellow. Caterpillars can see only green. 4. The top butterfly flight speed is 12 miles per hour. Some moths can fly 25 miles per hour! 5. Butterflies cannot fly if their body temperature is less than 86 degrees. 6. Antarctica is the only continent on which butterflies have not been found. 7. There are about 24,000 species of butterflies. The moths are even more numerous: about 140,000 species. 8. Butterflies are active during the day, while moths are active at night. 9. Some moths never eat anything as adults because they don't have mouths. They must live on the energy they stored as caterpillars. 10. Butterflies and insects have their skeletons on the outside of their bodies, called the exoskeleton. This protects the insects and keeps water inside their bodies so they don t dry out. 11. Many butterflies can taste with their feet to find out whether a leaf can be caterpillars' food or not. When a female butterfly finds a tasty leaf, she will lay her eggs on it. 13

14 Comparisons with moths CHARACTERISTIC BUTTERFLIES MOTHS Antennae Club-like with a swollen tip Feathery Color Usually bright colors Usually less bright than butterflies Resting Stance Period of Activity Pupa How the Forewing and Hindwing are Held Together in Flight Wings erect and held together while resting Usually active during the day Pupate as an unprotected chrysalis hanging from a branch or other support With an enlarged humeral lobe on each hindwing Wings open and folded over its back while resting, looking like the train of a wedding gown. Usually active at night (and attracted to light) Protected by a cocoon or pupate underground or on the ground With a frenulum (bristles or spines on each hindwing) 14

15 School Enrichment Team visit The school enrichment team will visit classrooms in April, after the butterfly larvae pickup day. Teachers will schedule their class during the pick-up day, so please bring a calendar. If you need to reschedule your visit, please call the Extension Office, (316) or the 4-H program Assistant at lwoolf@ksu.edu as soon as possible. The school enrichment team will: Discuss the observations the students have been making. Discuss the life cycle of a butterfly. Lead the students through a label-me body part exercise. Talk about the similarities and differences between butterflies and moths. Have the students act out a butterfly s life cycle. Classroom supplies needed for visit: Board (classroom magnetic board) for displaying posters Set-up for room: The 4-H school enrichment educator will lead a discussion at the front of room, near a magnetic or chalk board. The 4-H educator will need easy access to the butterfly cage for discussion.. 15

16 Additional learning ideas 1. Creative projects and copy masters are included at end of packet. Composition project: My favorite part of hatching butterflies Bookmark Word search 2. Additional composition project: Ask students to write a short story about where the butterfly will travel after it is released. Painted lady butterflies can travel thousands of miles. Encourage students to check out a globe or map as they imagine the butterfly s path. Each student can pretend they are the butterfly and practice writing in first-person style. 3. Butterfly release day ideas Release butterfly at the end of a school day and invite the principal, parents and others to join children. Invite the school district public relations department to chronicle the event. Request that they invite the Wichita Eagle and community newspaper reporters to the event. Request that the children be able to plant a bush that attracts butterflies on school grounds 4. Project Butterfly Wings, University of Florida, Various activities regarding recording butterflies, identifying butterflies and numerous butterfly-related resources 5. Botanica, The Wichita Gardens, Butterfly Garden and Butterfly/Pansy House, The Butterfly Garden attracts both native and migratory butterflies with flowering plants. The Butterfly/Pansy House is a net-covered enclosure a free-flight butterfly exhibit. It is open from June through September. Monarch Days are held each September. Please call Botanica for more information or to schedule a tour for your class. 16

17 Resources Print resources Ely, Charles A. and Schwilling Marvin.. The Kansas School Naturalist, Checklist of Kansas Butterflies Emporia, Kansas: Emporia State University. Kansas Department of Agriculture Insects in Kansas. Topeka, Kansas. Muther, Connie. My Monarch Journal Nevada City, California: Dawn Publications. Ross, Gary Noel, Ph.D. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Butterflies Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Gary Noel Ross, publisher. University of Florida. Project Butterfly Wings. DK Eyewitness DVD. Butterfly & Moth Web resources Project Butterfly Wings, University of Florida: About.com. Butterfly Pavilion: m=50&gps=178_1664_1276_577&f=20&su=p ip_&tt=11&bt=0&bts=0&zu=htt p%3a// About.com. Insects: Butterflies for Kids: pt=1&chapter=0&section=1#6 Butterfly Pictures: Butterfly Place: Earth s Birthday. Anatomy and Vocabulary Building: Getting to Know Your Butterflies and Moths: Education World: 17

18 Enchanted Learning: ycle.shtml Foremost s butterflies: Kansas State Department of Education: 6 Kansas State Research and Extension, Johnson County: Kansas State University. Insect Zoo: Lawrence Hall of Science. Fossweb: ly.html The Butterfly Web Site: and The Children s Butterfly Site: Scholastic.com: Build Your Own Caterpillar: caterpillars.htm# Worsley School, Butterflies in our Classroom: and 18

19 Grades K-2 Life Science standards Kansas Curricular Standards The student will begin to develop an understanding of biological concepts. Benchmark: The student will develop an understanding of the characteristics of living things. Indicators: 1. Discusses that organisms live only in environments in which their needs can be met. 2. Observes life cycles of different living things. 3. Observes living things in various environments 4. Examines the structures/arts of living things Grades 3-4 Life Science standards The student will examine organisms, their life cycles and their surroundings in order to gain an understanding of biological concepts. Benchmark 1: The student will develop knowledge of organisms in their environment. Indicators 1. Observes organisms and compares and contrasts different structural characteristics and the distinct functions of these structures. 2. Compares basic needs of different organisms in their environment. 3. Discusses ways organisms use their senses to survive in their environments. Benchmark 2: The student will observe and illustrate the life cycles of various organisms. Indicators 1. Compares, contrasts and asks questions about life cycles of various organisms. 19

20 Copy Masters 20

21 Name My butterfly picture My favorite part of hatching butterflies is 21

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24 Butterfly Word Search 24

25 Answers for Butterfly Word Search 25

26 Cooperative Extension Service Sedgwick County Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service. KSU, County Extension Councils and U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperating. K-State Research & Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 26