Caterpillar Larvae

1. we put out all the materiealls. (materials)

2.caterpillar food meshering (measuring cup) cup.

3.dump pouter (powder) in bowl.

4.add 100 ml.

5.Ad (add) lots of water.

6.skwish (squished) down food with the spoon.

7.ms.brown gave every body a lid.

8.one caterpiller per cup.

9.get a magnifindglas. (got a magnifying glass)

10.write down all the question.

Neat Transformations - Day 14

When I came into work this morning and looked at our chrysalis's I discovered one was getting really close to finishing its transformation. Here are some pictures. 

 This is just an interesting picture one of the kids took. 

Look at how transparent the outer layer of the chrysalis is. You can see the inside of the it and see parts of the butterfly. So cool....

Caterpillars - Day 4

The caterpillars have been busy eating and eating and growing and growing.
Here are some pictures the kids have taken. The pictures run from Day 4 up to about Day 12.

Eating and eating.

They are growing bigger

Starting to form the J Shape just before they turn into a chrysalis

They've turned into a chrysalis

 Taking them from the vials and putting them into the net on day 12

 Resting and waiting for their transformation into butterflies.

This is what's left in the vials. Do you see the left over skin from them shedding? 

Next Phase

The butterflies finally emerged from their chrysalises today. The kids were so excited to see them. Pictures will follow. Right now I'm working on finishing up the year. Report cards come out next Friday and then it's the end of the year. 

We've got a busy couple of days a head of us. We are finishing up our Mostest Book, our bug research and presentations. 

Monday, June 20th is our Play Day

We'll be going to Muskoseepi Park for our Picnic in the Park afternoon on Tues or Wed or Thurs, depending on the weather. 

Friday, June 24th is O'Brien Park and Swimming in the afternoon. (We will need parent volunteers for swimming) 

Stay tuned for more about our butterflies.

Day 5 Observations

Predictions

Kasha - Half of them will be in their cocoons.

Hannah L. - They will have more silk in the vials and some might be starting chrysalises.

Katie - There's will be a lot of regurgitated food.

Katleyn - They'll be really really fat.

Christian - All the food might be gone.

Camron - Number 26 might be starting to make a cocoon.

Tuff - Most of them are grown up and the others might still be larva.

Observations

Tuff - Lots are in chrysalises.

Katleyn - Number 28 has silk all over it.

Katie - Two of the caterpillars in the vials are dead.

Kasha - Number 26 is in it's cocoon.

Sophia - There's three in each vial and only one or two of them are in it's cocoon.

Katelyn - There is a lot of regurgitated food.

Maverick - Number 19 has died.

They are just starting to form their J-shape.

 It's been 7 days and this one has turned into a chrysalis. I wonder if it will be the first to turn into a Painted Lady Butterfly?

Thank you Akryn for being such a fantastic photographer.

Day 4 Observations

Predictions

Camron - They might be in their chrysalises.

Maverick - Their food will be a lot lower.

Katie - The ones that have regurgitated will have double the amount.

Tuff - They will be triple the size since Friday.

Hannah L. - Their food might be chunky.

Katelyn - They are probably very very fat.

Brooke - Some of them might be at the top.

Observations

Hannah M. - Some of the little ones have died.

Katie - They have gotten really big and I think in a couple of days they will be in their chrysalis.

Camron - They are very very fat.

Maverick - One of them looks like they are hanging from the lid of the vial.

Brooke - Number 16 is starting it's chrysalis, we see some white stuff.

Hannah L. - They have regurgitated a lot.

Hannah M - They've eaten lots of food because they are getting bigger.

Katie - They have changed colors (yellow and black)

Brooke - Number 4 has circle regurgitated food.

Camron - Is seeing little claws on the bottom of their feet.

Ms. Brown - Noticed that Number 26 was hanging upside down in the shape of a J.

Questions

Katie - What's the whitish yellowish stuff inside the vials?

Hannah L. - Is the whitish yellowish stuff silk and is it going to be what they hang on the lid with?

Maverick - What is the red stuff in the vials?

Camron - Why is their orange stuff with the food?
Sorry there are no pictures today. Ms. Brown forgot her camera and then forgot to take pictures with her phone. 

Day 3 Observations

Predictions

Camron - Start to make the chrysalis.

Hannah L. - thinks they will be fatter and longer.

Sophia - thinks they grew

Katie - Lots of them would have regurgitated lots

Maverick - A bunch of them are on the top of the vial.

Brooke - The food will be in clumps.

Observations

Rand - Lots of regurgitated food

Camron - They are getting bigger in a short amount of time.

Carter - They are eating more and they are molting more.

Maverick - There is one hanging by a web

Kasha - they are getting longer

Katie - Some of them have died and they are still really small.

Questions

Brooke - Why don't the caterpillars turn into a chrysalis on the bottom of the vial because nothing will harm them?

Tuff - Why are they regurgitating all of their food?

Christian - Why is little black dots all over the place?
Here are some pictures Katie took. Thank you for being a good photographer.

I am noticing the silk is starting to form along the vial. It must mean the chrysalis will be forming.

I wonder what will happen over the weekend?

Day 2 Observations

Predictions

Katie - They will be really fat and long.

Brooke - The one hanging from the top will be in a cocoon.

Maverick - He thinks it might be half way in it's cocoon.

Hannah L. - Food will be lower because they've eaten most of it. One might have eaten a whole in the food.

Kasha - A couple will be in it's cocoon and they won't be larva anymore.

Tuff - The caterpillars will be really, really fat.

Observations

Hannah M. - They shedded/molting. Katie thinks it's because they got bigger.

Katie - They are all different colors like red, yellow, black.

Hannah L - They are getting longer and fatter. One shedded more than once.

Questions

Katie - When are they going to form their cocoon?

Tuff - What are they all going to change colors?

Camron - Will they all make it to the cocoon stage?

Kasha - Do they shed more than once?

Katelyn - I wonder if they will get out of their cocoon alive?

The kids think the caterpillars are making there way up to the top of the lids. The kids would really like it if you responded to some of their comments and questions.

Day 1 Observations

Rand - they will be longer and fatter

Brooke - the food is going to be lower because they will have eaten some of it

Katelyn - lots of poop

Hannah L. - the larva might make a whole to live in

Maverick - they might have tunnels in their food

Tuff - the food is going to be crumbly

Katie - thinks it's going to go onto the lid and make a cocoon

Camron - when it makes a cocoon, it might go through the air holes

Here's what we noticed when we looked at them:

Kasha - some where on top getting ready to make a cocoon

Maverick - some had dug holes

Tuff - the caterpillars were hanging from the top because they are making it like their home on a tree

Brooke - the food was in big clumps

Camron - they had regergitating their food

Questions

Katelyn - Do you think they will eat through the lid?

Hannah L - Do you think the caterpillars go to the bottom and eat and eat and then hang upside down and then return to eat again?

Maverick - Do they only eat moist food or regurgitated food?

Katie - Is it going to be a problem with three caterpillars in one vial?

Brooke - Why would the bigger one make a cocoon first?

Camron - Will the bigger one's break the cocoon first?

Caterpillars

 I dislike caterpillars but I do it for the kids and as I say to them, "They can't hurt me." As I worked away and helped the kids, my class photographer took pictures. She did a fabulous job! Perhaps it's her future career.

Our caterpillars arrived on Thursday (they were about 1 cm long) and it's taken a couple of days to put them into their new homes. The kids had a great time. We'll keep you posted with what we notice and observe. 

Thank you Hannah M. for taking the pictures.

Setting up the materials.

 Showing them how to pack down the materials.

Working hard to pack down their nutrients.

This one just doesn't want to come out.

 We had such a good batch this year that I didn't have enough vials for ALL of the caterpillars. I had to triple up on some of the caterpillars. I've never had to do that before. We'll see how they end up doing. I'm wondering if the more dominant caterpillar will take over and eat all of their food.