Winged Wonders

March 4 2010 A Final Good-bye

2010-03-13T12:41:00.000-08:00

Our kindergartners said goodbye to our last 3 Monarchs In Space butterflies this morning. Their bodies were found lifeless, in nectaring position, on damp Gatorade-soaked pompoms.

These last 3 butterflies were gently placed in the frame with our STS-129 mission patch and the bodies of the other 9 butterflies.

In time, we will talk about the possibility of burying all 12 butterflies in our certified Monarch Waystation. For now, though, we are choosing to honor and remember them under glass, framed with the STS-129 Mission crew patch and the story of our Monarchs In Space project.

February 21, 2010 Day 98 Happy Day 100!

2010-02-21T14:44:00.000-08:00

Today Endeavor and the crew of the STS-130 mission return to earth; in the cargo hold of the space shuttle, there is a small rearing chamber with the bodies of the 3 monarchs who lived out their lives aboard the International Space Station.

In our classroom, 4 out of our 12 butterflies are still living, feeding on Gatorade-soaked pompoms, stirring curiosity among our kindergartners. Though their scales have lost their colors and the edges of their wings are tattered, they are loved by us all.

Today we mark the 100th day of life of our monarchs across 4 stages of a complete metamorphosis!

February 16 Day 94 Catching up!

2010-02-15T20:09:00.000-08:00

Last week, space shuttle Endeavor lifted off in a brilliant display of light against the dark, night sky.

While Endeavor has returned to the the space station, carrying Mission STS-130 specialists who will retrieve the bodies of the Monarchs in Space and bring them home to planet earth, 5 remaining butterflies are still enjoying the company of our kindergartners and nectaring on Gatorade-soaked pompoms.

These remaining 5 butterflies are remarkably old but are still feeding and crawling around in the terrarium. The butterflies have been feeding only on the trays at the bottom of the terrarium so we've removed the one hanging from the ceiling. They have been showing this preference for more than two months and have learned how to find the feeding trays independently.

Their wings are quite tattered and faded now. Though still recognizable as Monarchs, their wingspan is remarkably changed due to the tattered, broken wings. One butterfly in particular still feeds normally but has a diminished wingspan rivaling that of the cabbage white butterfly.

From the day the butterflies emerged from the chrysalis (12/12/09), the butterflies have lived 65 days as winged creatures. If you count the total amount of time these delicate insects have been alive and include the egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly stages, they have been living for 95+ days.

I am incredulous over their longevity!

February 2, 2010 Day 80 Sweet dreams...

2010-02-02T19:24:00.000-08:00

While their companions fed on Gatorade soaked pompoms today, two butterflies fluttered their last and died.

As butterflies, they lived 51 days.

As living creatures, egg to butterfly, their lives spanned nearly 3 months, approximately 90 days.

Incredible.

January 24, 2009 Day 71 Reverent curiosity

2010-01-24T14:25:00.000-08:00

Our Monarchs in Space butterflies continue living in our screened terrarium where they feed on Gatorade-soaked pompoms. The terrarium is misted daily with water.

Three butterflies have died and are pressed under glass. Nine are living. The brightly-colored orange wings of our living butterflies are faded now and a few wing tips have been chipped.

Every day the children stop by the terrarium to visit the butterflies.

The most recent death of one butterfly drew hushed voices and gentle acknowledgments from the children. Living in the present moment as children do, they were curious about the butterfly's lifeless body, how its wings were folded and the legs drawn close to its body. All children wanted to view the dead butterfly before it was placed under glass.

A child's reverent curiosity is truly something special.

January 10, 2010 Day 57 Happy Day of Wings, butterflies!

2010-01-09T18:01:00.000-08:00

Today marks the 31st day of our butterflies in their butterfly life stage...Happy Day of Wings, butterflies!

January 6, 2010 Day 53 Gatorade Pompoms, Take two!

2010-01-06T12:37:00.000-08:00

Kindergartners helped prepare fresh, brightly-colored pompoms with Gatorade for the butterflies this morning and placed the pompoms on a tray at the bottom of the terrarium as well as on the one suspended at the top. Monarchs were hand-placed on the pompoms to feed.

Several kindergartners asked to hold the butterflies after the butterflies had been offered their breakfast. One friend made a sign cautioning visitors to our classroom :" Watch where you're stepping! Our butterflies may be out!" With the doors to our classroom safely closed, a few butterflies exercised their wings in the classroom. The butterflies perched in interesting places! Letter A...the cardboard satellite hanging over our pretend play space station...a photo of a sunflower....

Two butterflies played hide and seek with us for a few minutes before we found them and returned them to the safety of their terrarium. "I wish I could spend all day long holding the butterflies," whispered a kindergartner. "Yeah, me too!" another echoed.

January 5, 2010 Day 52 11 butterflies return!

2010-01-05T14:40:00.000-08:00

Eleven living butterflies have returned from winter break at my home and have re-adjusted to life in the kindergarten classroom. The body of our 12th butterfly is pressed under glass next to the STS-129 Atlantis mission patch. Today, our Monarchs are 25 days old as adult butterflies (most eclosed on December 10).

I am am very surprised at their longevity in captivity; it is a wonder to me (never having raised butterflies over the winter on artificial diet) that they are still living.

Classroom temperatures during the day are warmer than the temperatures at my home but during the night, possibly cooler. Butterflies will be encouraged to feed during the warmer, daylight hours. Natural light and artificial light is about the same.

When the butterflies' Gatorade is freshened (every other day) the butterflies chosen at random and placed by hand on the sponges, do not stay very long to feed when they are on the hanging platform. Butterflies chosen at random and hand-placed on the feeding tray at the bottom of the terrarium seem to stay longer to feed.

Overall, I believe I've seen greater interest (on the part of the butterflies) in the Gatorade-soaked pompoms set-up in which each pompom was placed in a plastic water bottle lid and then lined up in a take-out sushi tray. We hand-placed the butterflies on the pompoms in the same manner as we are doing in the current set-up with the sponges and feeding platforms and observed butterflies active and feeding for longer periods of time.

The students really enjoyed soaking each pompom with an eye dropper and setting up the feeding trays independently. We all learned how to hand-place the butterflies onto the pompoms, a task 5 year-olds can fulfill with utmost care. We think the pompoms are very colorful and that the butterflies may be attracted to them like they are to flowers.

While differences in observations between feeding observed on the sponges and the pompoms could be due to other factors (such as biology, temperature, time of day, etc.), I plan to buy more pompoms so we can set-up Gatorade-soaked pompoms on both the tray on the floor of the terrarium as well as on the hanging platform.

January 1, 2010 Day 47 Ode to Gravity

2010-01-01T19:32:00.000-08:00

A journey of 584 million miles around the sun has begun anew. No wings or booster rockets needed for this journey. Consider gravity, in its infinite wisdom, and planet earth, hanging on to us for dear life.

When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky. (Buddha)

For more on gravity and the Monarchs In Space project, please read the scientists' concluding essay about the caterpillars who journeyed into space (experimental) and their earth-bound counterparts (control) posted at: http://www.monarchwatch.org/space/what-was-learned.html

January 1, 2010 Day 47 Happy New Year

2010-01-01T14:35:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year 2010! Mmmm...fresh Gatorade sponges today!

December 30, 2009 Day 45 News from the Terrarium

2009-12-30T17:42:00.000-08:00

I visited the Monarchs In Space website today and was inspired to make some changes in the terrarium. Though we have not encountered any problems with the current set-up, I was curious about the recommendations posted to the website.

Instead of boiling water on the stove to humidify the air in the kitchen, I purchased a spray bottle so I can mist the top of the terrarium every day.

I knew the pompoms in the feeding trays needed to be replaced very soon due to the fact that they were slowly disintegrating. Instead of pmpoms, we will use 4 sponges. The sponges will soak up the Gatorade as the pompoms did in the original feeding trays.

To make the new feeding platforms, I followed the directions on the website and suspended a feeding tray from the top of the terrarium, putting the Gatorade-soaked sponges in the feeding trays.

With the trays suspended at a height the butterflies can find it on their own, I will not need to place them one by one on to the sponges every day as I had been doing with the pompoms at the bottom of the terrarium.

I will make some observations of this new feeding arrangement and post the news tomorrow!

December 29, 2009 Day 44 Winter Break Post Card #3

2009-12-30T12:30:00.000-08:00

To: Kindergarten
From: Teacher Ann

Dear Kindergartners,

Will you help me figure out how many days have passed since our butterflies came out of their chrysalides? We could count the days and know how "old" they are in their butterfly stage.

First, find a calendar and turn the pages through eleven months, beginning in January. When you come to the twelfth month, stop. What month is it?

December is the twelfth month in our calendar year. Today is December 29. Find the 29th on the calendar and circle it with a pencil or marker.

Now, let's look on the calendar for December 10, the day our first butterflies eclosed (came out) of their chrysalides. When you find December 10, circle it with a pencil or marker.

Here is the question: If the butterflies came out on December 10 and today is December 29, how many days "old" are they in their butterfly stage?

Use the calendar to help you! Count the days between December 10 and December 29. What number did you get? That's how old the butterflies are today in their butterfly stage!

Love,
Teacher Ann

December 27, 2009 Day 42 Lost and Found!

2009-12-30T12:14:00.001-08:00

Today when the sun was streaming in the windows I went on a search for the missing butterfly that escaped the terrarium at feeding time on December 23rd. Although I searched high and low for it at the time, I could not locate it. Each day I looked for it in the den, being careful where I stepped and how I moved things on the shelves. Finally, on the 27th, I couldn't bear it anymore and got out a flashlight, intending to search in every nook and cranny of every shelf and piece of furniture.

Eventually, I found the butterfly between my desk and the wall where I keep large artist sketch books propped at an angle. The butterfly was resting, wings folded over it's body between two books. As I gently pulled one of the sketchbooks forward, I saw the butterfly move! As I moved it into the sunlight, it opened its wings and extended its tongue. Gently, I returned the butterfly to the terrarium where it could feed on the Gatorade.

It had been "lost" for 4 days!

December 23, 2009 Winter Break Post Card #2

2009-12-27T13:17:00.000-08:00

To: Kindergarten
From: Teacher Ann

Dear Kindergartners,

This morning I ran out of Gatorade so I refilled the feeding trays with pompoms soaked in grape juice. I gently placed each butterfly on a pompom and let go of their wings. The butterflies all flew away. I repeated my attempt to feed them. Again, they flew away.

I went to the store for more Gatorade, cleaned the pompoms, and re-soaked them in the fresh Gatorade. The butterflies stayed a long time on the pompoms, feeding on the Gatorade. I added a branch from our Frasier fir Christmas tree for them to climb on.

When I feed the butterflies, I move them from the window near my desk (where it is 65-68 degrees) to the dining room or kitchen where it is warmer (70-72+ degrees). I keep the butterflies in the warmer part of the house until they are finished feeding.

By the window where they have natural light and sunshine, they are most often resting with wings folded upwards. In the dining room and kitchen where it is warmer, they are actively fanning their wings and moving around.

One butterfly stopped moving today; it is lying on the floor of the terrarium. I will save its beautiful body under glass as we have agreed to do.

Love,
Teacher Ann

December 20, 2009 Day 25 Dog and Buttterfly

2009-12-19T12:19:00.001-08:00

Mushu is our gentle, lovable 4 year-old Maltese. Every now and then, Mushu encounters things he's never seen or experienced. At first curious, moments later, Mushu was startled by the flutter of wings!

December 19, 2009 Day 34 Monarch wants to make snow angels

2009-12-19T12:12:00.001-08:00

Today while feeding the butterflies, one escaped. It flew to the natural light at the window and stayed for a while. I wondered how the snowy world looks to a butterfly. Watching it, I sensed both longing and playfulness, though it was probably my own. The contrast of a butterfly on a snowy day was new for me.

(Update: We had a total of 14 inches and blizzard conditions later that day!)

December 18, 2009 Day 33 Winter Break Post Card #1

2009-12-18T13:29:00.001-08:00

To:Kindergarten
From: your butterflies

Dear Kindergarten friends:

We are very excited for our winter break! Today is Day 1 of our winter vacation. It's great that we can left today because we heard there is snow on the way tonight. Teacher Ann came in early this morning and fed us our favorite winter snack (Gatorade Pompoms!) before she packed us up to go.

Teacher Ann said we are "home" now but we are a little confused.

Mexico is over 2,000 miles away so we thought it would take about 2 months to get there. We thought we would fly for days and days. We thought that when we arrived in Mexico, we would see millions more butterflies, just like us, and that the warmth of the oyamel trees would shelter us for the winter.

As it turns out, we're the only butterflies here at our winter "home." It only took us 30 minutes to get here and we didn't have to fly. We are not really sure how we got here. We are happily warm and safe but there are no oyamel trees in sight. We think we can see a Frasier fir in the distance but we are still in our terrarium and cannot fly to it.

There were blossoms of Phlox waiting for us when we arrived. Mmmmm! Phlox nectar has a natural, flowery fragrance and the flavor of summer gardens and blue skies.

We don't think we're in Mexico but we like it here!

Love,
your friends the Monarchs.

December 18, 2009 Day 33 Suggestions

2009-12-18T13:15:00.001-08:00

Today we begin our winter break. Our school closes today and re-opens on January 4. We spent time today talking about how to take care of our monarchs over break. The kindergartners agreed that:

The butterflies shouldn't stay at school; it will be too cold and there won't be anyone to feed them. They should go home to Teacher Ann's house (like they did over Thanksgiving break).

and described what needs to be done:

The butterflies need to have sunshine and be warm.
They need to be fed. You can give them more Gatorade on the pompoms.
Maybe you can get them a flower, too.
They need a safe place to live, drink, and fly around.

The kindergartners remember we released butterflies in September but think it is too cold to release them now. Though we are unsure how long the butterflies will live, we agreed it is important to take care of them as long as we are able to do so.

We agreed that after the living part of the butterfly is gone, we will care for their dry bodies under glass instead of burying them. If they die over winter break, Teacher Ann will save the bodies on a bed of cotton under the glass frame and bring them back to school on January 4th.

December 17, 2009 Day 32 Butterflies flock to the feeding trays...

2009-12-18T07:45:00.000-08:00

After spending the morning in the larger screened terrarium hanging from the ceiling, the butterflies were transferred back to the feeding trays where they drank heartily, dipping their proboscis deep into the pompoms.

December 16, 2009 Day 31 Butterflies move to a sunny spot!

2009-12-18T07:28:00.000-08:00

After feeding the butterflies in the smaller terrarium, kindergartners transferred the butterflies to a larger screened terrarium today for their morning exercise. The butterflies flew to the side of the larger terrarium and rested in the sunlight, fanning their wings. It was exciting to watch them fly across the terrarium.

Several kindergartners said that the green screened terrarium reminds them of a really large chrysalis. All that hard work becoming butterflies, only to find themselves back inside another chrysalis! It's better this way, the kindergartners reasoned; they can be inside with their butterfly friends rather than all alone.

One kindergartner commented on how beautiful the butterflies are with the sun shining through their opened wings; "It makes their colors so bright and beautiful," she said.

While waiting turns to help transfer the butterflies between terrariums, kindergartners kept busy with the "bug eye" scopes, taking a "look" at the world the way a butterfly views it.

December 16, 2009 Day 31 Butterfly Tickles

2009-12-18T06:23:00.000-08:00

December 15, 2009 Day 30 Part 2: Exercise

2009-12-15T11:26:00.000-08:00

One butterfly surprised us by coming out of the terrarium while we were feeding the butterflies the Gatorade flowers. This gave us an opportunity to learn how to hold a butterfly.
We learned how to offer a "perch" with two fingers and give it space to walk, reaching hand over hand. We noticed the tickle of butterfly feet and were surprised, as we all took turns holding the butterflies, how beautiful and delicate they truly are in our hands. The calm and gentle manner with which the kindergartners handled the butterflies was astounding. It was as though the world stood still for each of them when gifted with wings in their hands.

December 15, 2009 Day 30 Part 1: Gatorade for breakfast...9:00 am

2009-12-15T10:18:00.000-08:00

Our butterflies were hungry this morning! The pompoms and lids were rinsed clean and set up for use. Two kindergartners refilled the feeding stations for the butterflies, saturating the colorful pompoms with Gatorade using eye-droppers. All twelve butterflies were gently placed on the pompoms and all but one begin drinking. The one who didn't want to drink, fluttered to the top of the terrarium. We think the butterflies would like some exercise after breakfast.

December 14, 2009 Day 29 Twelve Monarchs!

2009-12-14T10:49:00.000-08:00

Kindergartners discovered this morning that more butterflies emerged over the weekend. We found them exercising their wings in the rearing boxes. Peering through the plastic windows, several kindergartners counted the empty chrysalides and determined that we have 11 monarchs. Our last, the 12th, emerged successfully this morning and we discovered it drying its wings, hanging on the empty chrysalis.

Only one butterfly was observed sitting on the rotten banana we fed the butterflies on Friday in the screened terrarium. The banana looked dry. The other butterflies were resting at the top of the terrarium.

Since there are no flowers in our gardens anymore we know we can't release the butterflies to find their own food. We also think it is too cold at night for the butterflies and some days, too cold during the days. If we let them free outdoors, we don't think they could make it to Mexico. We agreed that the rotten banana was a good idea but we thought we could start feeding the butterflies red Gatorade just like the butterflies on the ISS are drinking.

All children agreed that the butterflies "need more space" so they can move their wings and fly. We agreed that we would move all the butterflies to the screened terrarium and feed them there.

In two trays, we put empty water bottle lids, each with a Gatorade-saturated pompom. It is quite colorful and may remind the butterflies of the colors of real flowers. I gently put each monarch on the pompoms and the kindergartners watched to see what happened next.

They loved it! The butterflies used their straw-like tongues (proboscis) to feed, sticking their tongues deep into the pompoms. They stayed there a long time before leaving the feeding trays. They were very hungry!

December 11. 2009 Day 26 Right before our eyes...

2009-12-12T07:22:00.000-08:00