National Butterfly Day!
March 14th is National Butterfly Day!
Did you know?
- Butterflies are insects.
- A butterfly’s lifecycle is made up of four parts, egg, larva (caterpillars), pupa (chrysalis) and adult.
- Butterflies attach their eggs to leaves with a special glue.
- Most caterpillars are plant eaters (herbivores).
- Fully grown caterpillars attach themselves to a suitable twig or leaf before shedding their outside layer of skin to reveal a hard skin underneath known as a chrysalis.
- An adult butterfly will eventually emerge from the chrysalis where it will wait a few hours for its wings to fill with blood and dry, before flying for the first time.
- Butterflies can live in the adult stage from anywhere between a week and a year, depending on the species.
- Butterflies have four wings.
- Butterflies often have brightly colored wings with unique patterns made up of tiny scales.
- Most butterflies feed on nectar from flowers.
- Butterflies have taste receptors on their feet.
- Scientists estimate that there are between 15000 and 20000 different species of butterfly.
- Birdwing butterflies have large, angular wings and fly in a similar way to birds.
- Monarch butterflies are known for their long migration. Every year monarch butterflies will travel a great distance (sometimes over 4000 km), females will lay eggs and a new generation of monarchs will travel back, completing the cycle.
Credit: http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/animals/butterfly.html
Butterfly Life Cycle
For more information on Butterfly’s life cycles check out the website: Monarch Life Cycle
Join in the fun with activities and crafts!
Sources of information
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/monarch-life-cycle
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/pictures/connectthedots/butterfly.html
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/Freebie-Butterfly-Life-Cycle-cut-paste-1190447
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/animals/butterfly.html
http://clipart-library.com/clipart/19-kTMraebTj.htm
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Joyful-Learner
