Our Butterflies Hatched!!

If you are not a daily reader of my blog, you may not know that we are using Apologia's Flying Creatures for Science this year.  To go along with it, we have been doing some real life hands on science projects.  We are have been studying insects for the last several weeks and the boys have taken a big interest in it.  We have started a bug collection, bought a creature habitat to observe live insects, bought an ant farm (have not gotten the ants yet), and a butterfly garden.  The butterfly garden came with a coupon for 5 free Painted Lady larvae ($5 shipping charge.)  We received our larvae and the children really enjoyed watching them grow!  Then, one by one they started forming their chrysalis.  8 days after the first one formed a chrysalis, we had a butterfly in the garden!  This morning, the last 2 hatched and we have 5 Painted Lady Butterflies!! It has been so exciting to watch them grow and change.  We fed them some sugar water and an orange slice.  We plan on watching them for a day or two and then setting them free, especially since our cat discovered them and we have to keep them away from her.  The boys are planning on keeping one to add to their insect collection.