One day when I was a kid, my mom dragged out an old terrarium and set it in the corner of the living room. Then she sent us out hunting for milkweed and the hungry black, yellow, and white caterpillars that were sure to be chomping on them. We filled the terrarium with milkweed and caterpillars and got our very first lesson in the life cycle of a butterfly.
We tried this last year with my own kids, but we bought painted lady caterpillars. While it certainly was an enjoyable project, it didn't feel the same. Though it's easier to have your caterpillars shipped to you by mail, part of the fun is the hunt. So this year, our little wigglies will come from our own backyard, or at the very least, our own state park.
If raising butterflies sounds fun to you, you can learn more about the process at
Butterfly School. Learn how to build a
simple, homemade cage for your caterpillars while they grow. You can also create a
Monarch butterfly way station in your backyard by ordering milkweed and nectar plants that offer Monarchs food, shelter, and breeding grounds during their migration.
If you take the care necessary to handle living creatures, raising butterflies can be an educational and enjoyable experience for the whole family.
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