Fluttering Wings 2
1. Metamorphosis - The Butterfly and Moth Life Cycle
Butterflies, beetles, and ants undergo complete metamorphosis. Insects that undergo complete metamorphosis have a stage in their lives when they transform from larva to adult. This transformation stage is called the pupal stage. Many other insects such as grasshoppers undergo incomplete metamorphosis. Insects that undergo incomplete metamorphosis look like a tiny adult when they hatch and grow bigger and bigger through their lives. Those insects do not have a pupal stage.
The first stage of an insect’s life is an egg. The eggs are usually laid on a leaf and are very sticky so that wind or rain can not remove them. When the egg hatches the young butterfly or moth is called a caterpillar or larva. A caterpillar spends most of its time feeding on plants and growing very quickly. The caterpillar molts (loses its old skin) many times as it grows. When it has reached its full size, the caterpillar stops feeding and becomes a pupa. A moth pupa transforms inside a cocoon and a butterfly pupa transforms inside a chrysalis. During this inactive stage, the butterfly or moth makes its transformation from wingless larva to winged adult.
Things to remember:
Eggs are laid by the adult moth or butterfly and hatch into caterpillars.
Caterpillar = larva; other insects have a laval stage only the butterfly's and moth's are called caterpillars.
Pupa = cocoon (moth) or chrysalis (butterfly); this is the inactive stage
Adult = moth or butterfly
FUN FACT: Butterflies and moths are the only insects that have scaly wings. Veins support the delicate wings and nourish them with blood. Butterflies can only fly if their body temperature is above 86° F. Butterflies sun themselves to warm up in the cool weather.
FUN FACT: Butterflies and caterpillars don't breath through their mouths. They use holes in the sides of their abdomens called spiracles.
FUN FACT: What’s for Lunch? A caterpillar’s first food is usually its own eggshell. It provides the nutrients the larva will need to begin the next stage of its journey.
FUN FACT: The Jumping Bean Moth is a gray-brown moth whose caterpillar lives inside a seed pod. When the caterpillar moves around inside the pod, the seed pod moves like it's jumping. The seed pod is sold as a "jumping bean," because the pod jumps around, especially when it is exposed to heat. Kids love to watch the "magic" jumping beans.
3.Look at Some Pictures of Caterpillars
4. Watch a Few Short Videos About Caterpillars and the Butterfly Life Cycle.
5. Make a Paper Caterpillar Chain.
You will need:
• construction paper (2 or 3 colors)
• scissors
• scotch tape or glue
• wiggly eyes (if you have them)
• black marker or crayon
Instructions:
• Cut about 15 strips of construction paper 1 inch wide and 10 inches long
• Decide what type of pattern you want to make. We made a pink, purple, pink, purple... pattern for ours.
• Make your first strip of construction paper into a ring and tape or glue it together
• Slide your next strip of construction paper through the ring and tape or glue it into a ring.
• Repeat the process until you have a long chain of construction paper rings.
• Cut one last strip of construction paper 2 inches wide and 10 inches long -- this will be the head (it needs to be a bit wider, so we can fit the face on).
• Slide the head strip through the last ring on your paper chain and make it into a ring.
Antennas:
• Cut two 1/4 inch by 5 inch pieces of construction paper.
• Wrap each around a pencil to make it curly
• Fold a tab at the bottom of each piece
• Glue the tabs onto the top of the head to make two antennas
Eyes:
• Glue wiggly eyes onto the front of the head OR draw two eyes onto the front of the head with a marker or crayon.
Mouth:
• Draw a mouth onto the front of the head with a marker or crayon
