Butterflies

One of Owen's birthday presents from us was a butterfly habitat. It included a net cage for them and then the caterpillars come in little cups with food for them. Owen loved watching the caterpillars eat and grow bigger. Then they all moved to the top and built the chrysalis. This was also a hit with Owen. He would check on them every day. Once they all had built their chrysalis we moved them from cup to the net. Where they all slowly hatched into butterflies. Owen really loved this part. He'd go over and count and announce if another one had hatched. We also got to feed them. We cut fresh flowers and put sugar water on them and placed them on the bottom. Feeding them was Owen's job and he really enjoyed squirting the water on the flowers every day. He also loved talking about how the butterflies were opening and closing their wings and learning how to fly. Once all had hatched and were strong enough to fly we let them all out. It was a lot of fun watching Owen chase them, look at them and help them out of the net. He was very gentle. We will definitely do another science project like this.

Hanging Caterpillars

Hanging Chrysalids

Prepping Flowers

Feeding Butterflies

Baby Butterflies

Unzipping the Net to Let them Free

Owen waiting for them to fly

"There goes one!"

Looking Closely at the Butterfly

Painted Lady

Back to Wait For More

Chasing Butterflies

Butterfly Fun

Found Him!

Trying to Help Them Fly
(We were gently tapping the net, some just did not want to leave.)

Happy in the Net

Butterfly on Tree

There was one that just did not want to leave. Owen picked a flower and put it in the bottom of the net in hopes to catch him. Shockingly it worked. The butterfly climbed on the flower and then Daddy and Owen carefully pulled it out of the net. The butterfly happily stayed on the flower for a long time and Owen held the flower so steadily and watched the butterfly. Can't explain how excited he was that he got to hold one.

Boy and his Butterfly

What a Sweet Moment

"Butterfly on my Flower!"