Raising Painted Lady Butterflies from Caterpillars

It is not hard to raise painted lady butterflies at home or in the classroom. You do not need to start with eggs. Most people raise butterflies from caterpillars. There are a number of sources on the internet where you can order painted lady caterpillars. (I ordered mine from InsectLore and also bought a netted habitat for keeping the butterflies after they emerged from their chrysalises.) The tiny caterpillars come in a plastic cup, a supply of food, and directions for care. It usually takes about three weeks for the caterpillars to grow, form a chrysalis, and transform into butterflies.
If you find a painted lady caterpillar on a wild thistle plant or on a hollyhock leaf, you may be able to watch it grow by feeding it fresh leaves every day. The butterfly will emerge about 8-10 days after it forms the chrysalis. Within a few days after the butterfly emerges, you should release it so it can live in the wild.

REVIEW IN SLJ of BUTTERFLIES IN ROOM 6

The March issue of School Library Journal has another excellent review of BUTTERFLIES IN ROOM 6.

PreS-Gr 2.  Arnold returns to the same classroom she observed in Hatching Chicks in Room 6 (Charlesbridge, 2017). This time she joins Mrs. Best and her kindergarten students as they follow the progress of painted lady butterflies from small blue eggs to adult insects. Photos document the steps required to care for the creatures during their journey from egg to larva to pupa to adult. The intent expressions on the children’s faces reveal their engagement with the process and their delight as they watch the butterflies prepare to fly away. The close-up photos, including the sequence of a butterfly’s emergence from the chrysalis, draw readers into the transformation. The clear, straightforward text is supplemented by facts supplied in small text boxes. A vocabulary list plus suggested books and websites enhance the information. VERDICT. A solid choice for most libraries, particularly those supporting hands-on science learning.
Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State Univ. Lib., Mankato