Insect Lore Butterfly Garden

Live Butterfly Garden
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Watch the Amazing Miracle of Metamorphosis in Your Own Home or Classroom

This fascinating educational kit gives children the opportunity to observe every stage of the butterfly life cycle. See five caterpillars eat and grow to ten times their original size, form chrysalides and then emerge as gorgeous Painted Lady Butterflies. Feed your butterflies in the included Butterfly Habitat for a few days and then experience the thrill of setting them free. The Live Butterfly Garden offers children the invaluable lessons of metamorphosis, science, patterns, patience, and life cycle studies. Give the Magic of Metamorphosis to a child you love. A family favorite since 1969, from the original Butterflies-By-Mail Company,

See an Amazing Transformation

See the miracle of metamorphosis up close!A family and classroom favorite for over 40 yearsInsect Lore has shipped over 50 million butterflies since 1969An unforgettable learning experience for ages 4 and upRedeem the included certificate online to have five caterpillars and nutritious food shipped to your door (a $5 shipping and handling fee is required when you redeem your certificate)Watch your caterpillars grow, harden into chrysalides, and then transform into beautiful Painted Lady ButterfliesFeed, observe, and enjoy your special butterflies for a few days and then set them freeThree of the five caterpillars are guaranteed to develop into perfect specimens.Live caterpillars are shipped to destinations within the Continental USA. We cannot ship caterpillars to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Canada. 12-inch habitat, guide, dropper, and coupon.
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Raise Your Very Own Butterflies

When you are ready to begin your project, visit the InsectLore website and use your certificate to receive your cup of caterpillars. Your caterpillars will arrive within 3 to 10 business days. Caterpillars will arrive in a clear plastic cup with nutritious food. Place the cup in a safe place away from direct sunlight and drafts. The caterpillars will remain in the cup and will eat, spin silk, and grow to 10 times their original size. After 7 to 10 days they will hang upside down and harden into chrysalides (chrysalides are also known as pupae). Move the Chrysalides to the Butterfly Habitat. The Butterfly Habitat (included with the Live Butterfly Garden) is a reusable, cylindrical mesh container perfect for up close butterfly viewing. When not in use it folds flat for easy storage. Once the chrysalides have hardened, gently move them to the pop-up butterfly habitat. It will take about 7 to 10 more days for them to complete the incredible transformation to adult butterflies. Children and adults alike will want to keep a close eye on the habitat so they can witness the fascinating birth of their Painted Lady Butterflies.

The chrysalides will get noticeably darker when the butterflies are ready to emerge. It is so exciting to watch a butterfly pull itself out of the chrysalis with its new, long legs. At first the wings of the butterfly are crumpled and wet, but over the next hour it will pump blood into its wings until they are fully expanded and hardened. During this time the butterfly will also fuse the two halves of its tongue, or proboscis. When its wings are dry and hardened and the proboscis is fused, your butterfly is ready to fly.

Children will love to feed their butterflies. Place fresh flowers in the habitat for your butterflies to rest on and then use the feeding pipette included to drip sugar water, or nectar, on the flowers. Watch the butterflies eagerly sip the nectar with their long proboscises. Butterflies also love to feed from fresh slices of watermelon and oranges.

Enjoy your butterflies for a few days, and then experience the excitement of letting them go to continue their amazing life cycle. Release your butterflies within a week of their emergence from the chrysalides when temperatures are above 55 degrees. Simply take the butterfly habitat out to your yard, unzip the cover, and let your butterflies go. Butterflies will often land on little hands and faces before flying away. Watch for your butterfly friends, as they may decide to remain in your garden for a few days.

Do you miss your butterflies? No problem! Your Live Butterfly Garden is reusable, so you can enjoy the miracle of metamorphosis again and again. Cups of Caterpillars are available year round.

Cup of caterpillars.
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The Live Butterfly Garden Includes:

Pop-up, reusable 11.5-inch tall mesh habitat perfect for butterfly viewingFeeding PipetteComplete Live Butterfly Garden Instructions and Activity GuideA Certificate to redeem online for a cup of 5 live caterpillars and all the nutritious food they need (an additional $5 shipping and handling fee is required when you redeem your certificateShips in Certified Frustration-Free Packaging