Ants and Butterflies

Our kindergarten curriculum calls for a few observation exercises involving ants and insects.  The lesson with the ants is with the letter I.  I is for insects.  The truth to be learned is:  I am a wise child.  I work hard.  For B, butterflies, it is that God makes me new.  We did both of these when Ella was in kindergarten as well and she was just as excited as Leah to be seeing it all again. 

Ants

Our ants had issues.  The first time we mailed off for them, they were apparently lost in the mail.  I contacted the company because we never received them, so they were going to mail us some new ones.  Well, the next day, the ants arrived.  The original batch...obviously.  They were well on their way to death.  They were alive, however, so we put them in the ant hill and fed and watered them hoping they might perk up.  No such luck.  They were pitiful.  They certainly did not help enforce the truth we were to learn.  Luckily, though, it only took about a week and a half to get the new ants and wow, what a difference.  These guys worked around the clock!  I don't think they ever stopped.  As a matter of fact, when they did start to die, we were certain it was because they had worked themselves to death!

 

Butterflies

So excited to get the catepillars in the mail!

Teeny, tiny catepillars

They are attaching to the paper....should be soon.....

 

We have chrysalides (is that the plural of chrysalis?)

A butterfly!!

The broken chrysalides...the red stuff is dye from the butterfly.  Cool, huh?

We had to put flowers with sugar water dripped on them into the net to feed them.

Setting them free...........

A Tadpole

We also have a tadpole that we are trying to grow into a frog.  This was not recommended by MFW but Leah LOVES frogs, so when I saw this at the store, I knew she would love it.  So we have had ants, butterflies, and a tadpole all at the same time.  The ants and butterflies are gone, but this tadpole is trying to become a part of the family long-term, I think.  I'm not including pictures yet, because I want to show his progression.  I thought for certain he would at least have some hindlimbs but no.  More on him to follow.........

 

 

****Update:  The tadpole croaked....haha...pun intended....okay, that was lame.  But, indeed, the tadpole never reached full froghood.  Leah is disappointed so we will try again....someday.  Here are a couple pix of him anyway.

Super little

Growing