• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Craftulate logo
  • Art
  • Crafts
  • Fine Motor
  • Food
  • Play Recipes
  • Sensory
  • Gross Motor
  • DIY Crafts
  • DIY Gifts
  • DIY Projects
  • Inspiration
    • DIY Guide
    • Parenting
    • Learning Resources
    • Product and Service Opinions
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Art
  • Crafts
  • Play Recipes
  • Food
  • Fine Motor
  • Sensory
  • Gross Motor
  • DIY Crafts
  • DIY Gifts
  • DIY Projects
  • Inspiration
    • Parenting
    • Learning Resources
    • Product and Service Opinions
×

Butterfly Growing Kit

This butterfly growing kit was enjoyed by the whole family – it was such a wonderful experience!

Butterfly Growing Kit - watch the whole life cycle!

Although this post contains affiliate links, I have not been sponsored by the manufacturers of this product. All opinions are my own. By using my affiliate links I can make a tiny bit of money to help support this blog. Thank you!

OK so normally I wouldn’t *just* write about a commercially bought kit – but this was too good not to share! The Insect Lore Butterfly Garden can be bought from Amazon.


Inside the box are just the instructions and a collapsible, resuable habitat – so it is important to manage expectations about this! There is also a code to order your supply of Painted Lady caterpillars (for an extra $5 – again, worth noting especially if this is a gift) which are then shipped to  you. At this point I hadn’t told my four-year-old son about this project at all. So I was definitely way more excited when the caterpillars arrived! They are presented in a little jar that has all the food they need. At first none of them moved (eek) but the instructions said not to worry if they are inactive at first. After a while three of them started to wiggle around. So cute!Butterfly Growing Kit

By the next day all five were sporadically wiggling – it seemed like they needed a lot of rest too. By day 4 they had definitely grown, and seemed to prefer hanging out on the sides and the lid.

By day 6, one caterpillar had formed its chrysalis and two more were hanging in a “J” shape. One was still quite active and the last one seemed to have formed into a chrysalis but on the ground. And by the end of day 8 they were all in chrysalids.Butterfly Growing Kit

 

They moved house on day 10! My son really wanted to help with this stage but it was quite fiddly so he just watched. All the silk strands needed to be removed gently with a Q-Tip, because otherwise the butterflies could get entangled when they emerged. Then the paper disc that was inside the lid had to be pinned to the side of their new home – a collapsible mesh tent that came with the original kit. I moved the chrysalis that was on the ground over to the tent too, placing it gently onto a piece of kitchen paper. Butterfly Growing Kit

The first butterfly emerged on day 14. I didn’t manage to capture it on camera because it was so quick! The wings were all wet and it came out looking quite bedraggled, then slowly dried out and the wings opened.Butterfly Growing Kit
Butterfly Growing Kit

The next day three more butterflies emerged – including that chrysalis that was on the floor! The fully formed Painted Lady butterflies looked so beautiful!Butterfly Growing Kit

We fed them orange slices, strawberry hulls, and flowers sprinkled with “nectar” – a sugar syrup solution. Two days later, the last butterfly had yet to emerge but we thought it was time to let the others go. We took the habitat outside, and opened up the zipper at the top. One took flight almost immediately, with two others following soon after. If I said that I didn’t feel a quick pang of maternal pride then I’d be lying!

One butterfly preferred to remain on the orange slice, so we decided it wasn’t ready and brought it back in. Finally, on day 18 the last butterfly emerged. Our family were so happy to be part of this experience, and I am sure we will repeat it many times – as extra caterpillars can always be purchased from InsectLore.

So here’s a summary of this kit:

  • Actual caterpillars are not included and need to be ordered separately after receiving the kit
  • Timing should be planned carefully so the caterpillars can be observed on a daily basis for 3-4 weeks after receiving them.
  • This kit can be used at any time of year as long as the temperature is above 55F at the time of releasing the butterflies

 

 

My friends over at Preschool Powol Packets have also tried this out!

Related Posts

  • Leaf BraceletsLeaf Bracelets
  • Top 10 Flower Art Projects for KidsTop 10 Flower Art Projects for Kids
  • Egg Carton Butterfly CraftEgg Carton Butterfly Craft
  • Four Seasons Felt TreeFour Seasons Felt Tree
  • Outdoor Nature CollageOutdoor Nature Collage
  • Weather Mobile CollectionWeather Mobile Collection
  • Simple Caterpillar CraftsSimple Caterpillar Crafts
  • Coffee Filter Paper Flowers and ButterfliesCoffee Filter Paper Flowers and Butterflies
Pin14
14 Shares
Pin14
14 Shares

Primary Sidebar

Latest Crafts for Kids

  • How To Work With An Autistic Child On Your Own?
  • 30 Easy Winter Crafts for Kids – Art and Craft Activities
  • 25 Easy Fourth of July Crafts: 4th of July Crafts for Kids
  • 30 DIY Wine Cork Crafts and Decor Ideas

Footer

↑ back to top

About

profile

Hi, Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and explore Craftulate!! This blog was started in January 2013 and offers a wide range of arts, crafts, activities, fun games, printables for toddlers, young children and kids of all ages. Find More

Contact

  • Contact
  • Advertising
  • Privacy Policy and Disclosure

Craftulate is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Copyright © 2022 Craftulate - Art and Crafts for Kids