September 8: Miss Miller found the caterpillar of a Black Swallowtail Butterfly on her parsley plant. Second grade watched the caterpillar grow and form a chrysalis.
Late September:
The chrysalis was put
outside at Miss Miller's
house because the butterfly
won't emerge until spring.
Butterfly Update 2005!
The butterflies were released on Tuesday, September 27. The first grade butterflies took off together in a group. Our lone second grade butterfly decided to stay in the tree outside school for a little while. Can you spot him? He's almost camouflaged!
Click on the picture to make it larger.
October 12
The butterflies were unsuccessful this year. Mrs. Follis, Miss Miller, and Mrs. Teresi can not explain why the caterpillars decided not to eat. We think it might be the milkweed.
Butterfly Study 2007
September 11
The Monarch caterpillars arrived at St. Thomas. This one is 1 centimeter long.
You can "click" on photographs to make them larger.
Friday, September 5
Eleven Monarch caterpillars arrived at St. Thomas. Miss Miller and Mrs. Follis put six in the first grade and five in the second grade.
The largest caterpillar is about the size of Miss Miller's thumb nail. It's about 1 1/2 centimeters long.
We participated in Journey North's Symbolic Migration Project by mailing paper "Ambassador" butterflies to Mexico and receiving some back in the spring. On the back of each butterfly a message of goodwill is written in Spanish. We will receive a return "cluster" of butterflies in May!
