Maximize education during butterfly release

Release of newly-eclosed butterflies has rich opportunities for teaching.  In another post, I described the mechanics of release.  This post is about what to teach.

If your time for release is very limited, here are tips how you can easily improve the experience:

• Provide a map showing where the butterflies are going, and in what direction.
• Challenge the students to identify the sex of each monarch.
• Describe behaviors the monarchs will show when released. Record the behaviors seen on a simple data sheet.
• Acknowledge your Spanish-speaking students--that we're now passing the torch of protection to our Mexican friends.
• Allow students to feed the monarchs honey-water before release.
• Create a little bit of ceremony.  "Adios!"
  

BULLETIN! Last chance to order eggs for 2025!

September 16 (Tuesday) is the last day to order eggs. Pickup could be a bit later.

You can order from either the Aldo Leopold Nature Center, or from David Thompson (davidthompson20@aol.com), depending on who is closer to you for pickup.  Caution: do not double order at both!

If you lost your monarchs due to some mishap, you can reorder, provided you tell us the circumstances, so we can adjust our instructions and help you improve.

Remember, only one teacher per school does the communication and pickup.  More.

Pickup Locations

• Aldo Leopold Nature Center, 330 Femrite Dr., Monona, WI. Monarchs@aldoleopoldnaturecenter.org; or...
• David Thompson, 306 Falles Ct., Madison, WI.  Pickup times by arrangement between noon and 10 pm.  Text: 608-692-5467

A checklist of butterfly behavior after eclosure

An incomplete list of easily seen behaviors during and after eclosure.

Inflating the wings. As soon as it emerges, the butterfly pumps fluid from its abdomen into channels in its wings, literally inflating them.  As the wings enlarge, the abdomen shrinks.

Shifting its grip.  As it emerges, the butterfly first grips with its claws the ridge around the top of the shell, a structure that probably evolved for this purpose.

Shifting to something like a twig provides a better grip.  It's also possible shifting evens out the forces on the leg as they harden, assuring they assume the right shape.

How to release newly-emerged butterflies

Releasing butterflies can be a wonderful experience, the culmination of a month's journey in the classroom.

Create some ceremony! Observe what they do upon release.  Make a list of possible behaviors, draw up a data sheet, and have one student record what everyone sees.

How to improve the classroom experience with monarchs

I'm grateful to teachers who offer their students a chance to see monarchs. I encounter many grown-ups who tell me seeing butterflies emerge was a memorable experience from their own childhood.

Here's a list of steps teachers can take to improve the classroom experience...

Make sure you don't miss eclosure

Isn't that one of the main reasons you provide monarchs? What a shame to miss it!  Eclosure timing is easily controlled.  Other transitions--hatching, molting, forming the J, and forming the chrysalid--are harder to see.  But possible... and rewarding!

Make sure monarchs are easily visible

Improve visibility.  House caterpillars or butterflies where you can easily see them through clear glass, or an open lid.  Glass aquaria aren't expensive; used ones are available.  Provide good lighting. Caterpillars like light.  LED lights won't overheat them.

How to encourage egg-laying during cool or cloudy weather

When the weather turns cool (below 70 F), cloudy, or rainy, laying slows or stops because monarchs are so affected by temperature.  They prefer 84 degrees F. 

Your potential for future eggs is good if you have several mated females.  When warm weather returns, they'll probably lay.  But what to do if you need eggs now?  Here's what I tried:

How to read a butterfly's mind

It's easy to read a dog's mind.  Dogs are wildly expressive!

Butterflies are slower to give up their secrets.

Those of us producing eggs for schools are under pressure to deliver the goods.  We need to predict if the butterflies will lay enough for the orders we have.  

So, we have to read their minds. "Feeling romantic?  In the mood to lay?"  Here's how to find out what's on their mind.