Month: August 2014

Rescue

RescueAudrey has spent the summer learning more  about raising butterflies.  As a family we have been raising them for seven years, but she has done most of the work for the last two.

Early this summer, she found a caterpillar she never raised before anchored to the shed.  When it formed a chrysalis, she wanted to bring it in so she could watch it, but we could not figure out how to safely bring it inside.

We researched on how to move chrysalises safely and a few days later we went out to bring in a new chrysalis.  We discovered that something had come and eaten it.  She was very disappointed.

So she began practicing moving chrysalises.  Audrey rescued  two chrysalises that fell from the aquarium wall she keeps them in.  She practices anchoring those whose cremasters are on leaves that dry out or on flimsy sticks.

Now, when we find our next chrysalis, she will know how to bring it safely inside.

Song Of Toad

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One of the many benefits of teaching my children at home is that we discover a lot of fun poetry!

A Song of Toad
By Kenneth Grahame

The world has held great Heroes,
As history-books have showed;
But never a name to go down to fame
Compared to that of Toad!

The clever men at Oxford
Know all there is to be knowed.
But they none of them know one half as much
As intelligent Mr Toad!

The animals sat in the ark and cried,
Their tears in torrents flowed.
Who was it said, ‘There’s land ahead’?
Encouraging Mr Toad!

The Army all saluted
As they marched along the road.
Was it the King? Or Kitchener?
No. It was Mr Toad.

The Queen and her ladies-in-waiting
Sat at the window and sewed.
She cried, ‘Look! Who’s that handsome man?’
They answered, ‘Mr Toad.’

The motor-car went Poop-poop-poop
As it raced along the road.
Who was it steered it into a pond?
Ingenious Mr Toad!

Playing with Butterflies

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Audrey has been letting a few butterflies go every couple of days. She waits until she has five or more and then she releases them all together.  Since she has been finding so many caterpillars, most butterflies only stay in the house one night.  Usually, when we release butterflies, they fly away quickly. So learning to take pictures of them as they fly away has been a fun challenge.

Major and Minor

BUtterflyAudrey released three Monarchs and two Painted Lady butterflies yesterday.  While we were in the field, I found a huge caterpillar.  Audrey voiced my thought that it would be neat to get a picture of the butterfly flying above the caterpillar.

It was fun trying to get the picture we were attempting.  I was on my back so I could focus up.  Audrey would place the butterfly and then move her hand away. The butterfly would fly away and then stop for a snack.  Audrey would bring it back so we could try again.

I ended up deleting a bunch of pictures. Audrey and I had a lot of fun and I learned a lot. The most important was that Monarchs fly a lot faster than you think!