Caterpillars to Painted Lady ButterfliesDay 1

Caterpillars arriveDay 4

There is enough food in the pot for the caterpillars

Day 5Getting bigger…..

Day 6….and bigger….

Day 8….and bigger!!

Day 9As they grow, they shed their exoskeleton.

It doesn’t grow with them or stretch so they do this 5 times before becoming

chrysalides.

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Day 11The caterpillars have grown to about 10 times their original size and have started to climb to

the top of the cup.

Day 12All the caterpillars are at the top of the

cup and have formed a ‘j’ shape under the lid. They shed their exoskeleton one more

time before they pupate (become chrysalides).

Day 13All the caterpillars have now become chrysalides

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Day 15We removed any silk strands surrounding the chrysalides as otherwise they can get

entangled when they emerge. We then moved them into the butterfly habitat ready for them to emerge. We had to place the lid near the edge of the net so they were able to reach

the net when they emerged.

Day 20The first butterfly emerges. When it comes out the wings are soft and crumpled. It has to get in a vertical position to expand and dry it’s wings.Once the wings are fully expanded the butterly

is ready for food. We gave it nectar (sugar water) and some sliced orange.

Day 213 more butterflies emerge. Unfortunately

one couldn’t spread it’s wings out properly so they have not formed correctly.

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Day 22The final butterfly emerges

Day 24We realeased the butterflies into our garden. The females will now lay eggs. Painted Lady

butterflies live for about 2-5 weeks

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The empty chyrisalides

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