Category: Learning New Things!

One Hundredth Butterfly!

I have raised over 100 butterflies this year!

100

I was able to release 88 Monarchs!  Most of the rest I have kept in my butterfly hospital.

I have learned a few new things.  I had to rescue one who’s chrysalis was stuck on her abdomen (it fell off the next day).

I got my first pair of Monarchs to mate. I collected the eggs and raised two generations.

I learned how to pin the dead ones.  That way I can use them to share with classes I teach.

I kept better records. For the record I have

  • if the egg was bleached
  • when the butterfly emerged
  • the butterflies name–mostly Bob this year–
  • if it was a boy or girl
  • if it had OE or not
  • and where I released the butterfly.

I hopefully will have 6 more monarchs. I could probably raise them for another month, but we hope to go on vacation soon, and I won’t be able to take care of them. I hope to find more when we got home. Wouldn’t it be so much fun to raise 200 in a year?

Butterfly Hospital

HouseOn Friday, I got a butterfly cage at garage sale. It is really a play pen for pets.  I am using it for a butterfly hospital. I put in some milkweed and some salvia for them to eat.  I hope to add more plants later.

I am putting in my sick butterflies.  I can’t free them because they will spread the OE disease. They like to hurt themselves in the smaller cage. They will die happy because of all the room they have to fly around in and they are outside.

Megan and I like to sit inside and watch them.

New Butterflies

Two days ago my first Monarch emerged! It was a girl. Yesterday, I let it go. She hung around for about 5 hours then flew off!

Today, My first eastern black swallowtail emerged! It was a boy. I will let him go soon.

Meganbutterfly Megan wanted me to put the butterfly on her nose. It started tickling. Megan went crossed eyed watching it. Then she wanted it off.

 

Duck!

DuckWe were going to the park to get some water and food for our tadpoles. We decided to look at the bluebird nests.  Our friend who works at the park has taught us how to check the nests and said we could if we are discreet about it.

Today while we were checking one of the nests, the bluebird kept coming and flying straight towards me.  Mark said that we were playing chicken!  The bird won because I did not want him to whack me and get knocked silly.  (The bird or me!)

Tree climbing

Audrey upFriday, we volunteered to help at a Labor Day Celebration. I helped face paint while Momma and Daddy worked at the welcome table.

I got up a tree with a rope and pulley.  Then he asked if I wanted to come down fast or slow.  Give a guess what I said 🙂

I asked to go down slow so I could be up there longer. He said he would go down super super slowly for me.  But it still only took ten seconds.