Kids and Monarchs

[Mona Miller]

It had been a very rainy morning, but the rain stopped for a few hours and I went off to the park with 6 adult Monarchs, some first, third, and 5th instars, plus a pupa.

No one was there for my walk, so I waited a bit and in came a mother with her two kids. I asked them if they'd like to see my caterpillars. Great! I also asked them if they'd like to help me release the Monarchs. They had just eclosed (emerged) this morning so they weren't moving too fast. The 2 1/2 year old boy and 5 year old girl loved helping me. I showed them what a girl looks like and then showed them the boy. I had five girls and only one boy Monarch. We released 3 at the top of the hill. Two of the butterflies didn't fly so I told them we'd walk them down to the butterfly garden. I still had two in my container. As we were walking down the hill, both butterflies which were getting a ride on the two kids hands flew up. One flew up and away. The other flew back and landed on my hat. So the male butterfly got a ride down to the butterfly garden on my hat.

When we got to the butterfly garden, he flew off and up into the trees. I let the kids help me release the other two butterflies. They didn't stay long, but flew up into the trees.

The kids and I found tiny first and second instar caterpillars on the tropical milkweed in the butterfly garden. We also found lots of holes in the milkweed and frass (butterfly poop). They went off to play in the children's garden and I talked with another family about the Monarchs. I walked back to the visitors center. Before I left, I showed two more families the egg, caterpillars, and pupa that I had taken with me. Another little girl was so excited. She asked me if she could show her family what I had brought. She gently took the egg, caterpillars, and pupa over for them to see--one at a time.

A few more individuals learned about the Monarch and its incredible journey. Hopefully, they will pass the information along.

[alletahg]

I think it's wonderful to get kids interested in the monarchs and share your experience with them. Besides monarchs, we've raised painted ladies, cabbage butterflies, tobacco hornworms, tiger moths, and black swallowtails. The kids never get bored with it ! This morning we had five monarchs eclose and I don't know who was happier, me or the kids.

Each year, I offer my kids' teachers a chrysalis of some kind for them to observe until the butterfly emerges and the class can release it. Most of the teachers happily take me up on the offer. At some point during the year, my son also brings in his impressive specimen exhibit to share with his class. It's amazing how the kids are not squeamish about the bugs, but love to get a closer look and ask questions. I wonder at what age some of them will start to say "Ewww!"

We usually have a tank of tadpoles every year too. My husband does not share our fascination with these "projects" but quietly tolerates all the critters. He's gradually showing more and more interest in our buggy friends, so maybe one of these days we'll win him over completely. Maybe if someone had shared this kind of thing with him when he was a kid, he'd have a different attitude!