What a wonderful day: We found 5 caterpillars on campus today! The spring migration is on, and Mourning Cloaks are on the march from their host tree (wherever that is) to places from which they can anchor themselves to change into chrysalises. We put them into one of our empty terrariums, and my students could hardly un-glue themselves from the amazing insects. The caterpillars are big, so I'm guessing they'll transform in the next day or so.
It's been years since we were lucky enough to notice/find any caterpillars to watch turn into butterflies (apart from the silkworm caterpillars we raise each year, which turn into moths). The last time I remember was serendipitous also: we found 7! (Random happy fact: That same day my classroom aide also discovered... she was wearing two left shoes! We laughed and laughed.) Happy Spring :)
Update on this post (Thursday, April 2)
The next day my students found 4 more caterpillars. (We put them in a separate terrarium.) Last night all five of the first group had transformed into chrysalises--meaning we missed the action. BUT TODAY, oh my goodness! Mathew noticed that one of the 4 had changed, and that another was wiggling/changing. We called out to the class (we were at centers) to come see. Seven of us stayed -- riveted!-- for 10 minutes, while the caterpillar wriggled all of its skin down... and then UP... and then its skin split open at the bottom, revealing the gray chrysalis. It continued to gyrate and wriggle until its old skin (and head) were pushed laboriously all the way to the top--where the caterpillar was anchored to the stick--until the old skin dropped in a ball to the floor. It was amazing! (I've never seen the transformation before!) I gave Mathew 5 Gotcha's for being such a good scientist and alerting us to the change.
"Wacky Wednesday" addition: Towards the end of the transformation, Pedro decided he wanted to count to 200 to me (so he could be in the "200 Club"), and started counting..... I didn't really pay close attention.... until my brain realized that each time he got to 129... he went back to 121.... up to 129, back to 121.... I switched my attention from the caterpillars to him, at which point he decided that 'one hundred twenty eleven' came after 129... :>)
We'll catch up with him on that later. It was time to clean up and go home.
12 comments:
Did you take pictures?! Man I've never seen that!!! LUCKY!!!! Good job Matthew!
that is so cool..I have never seen it happen before either..you are very lucky, and all your students..actually, I think your students are lucky to have you.
Hi Hannah--I wish I had had my video camera at school. That would have been cool!
Hi Alison--thanks for stopping by, and for your nice comments. We did feel very lucky! We've had some really good bonding moments in kindergarten this year----one-of-a-kind stuff, like the caterpillars.
That's a caterpillar in the air .... not a spring.
Love the one hundred twenty eleven and
WOW!!! to the amazing catharsis taking place RIGHT BEFORE YOUR EYES!!!!!
I'm so glad you got to see it. I never have either.
I miss you!
I love those poky black caterpillars! One of the Purple Siders brought three of them with her to school last week! All the children were fascinated by them. One even looked up at me and said dramatically, "the caterpillars spikes will sink gently into my body if I get too close!" :)
xoxox
origami~ LOLOL! Spikes sinking gently in. Still sounds ouchy but oh so dramatic. ha.
Hey you guys know I'm going out of town, yes?
I'll be back in town on Tuesday or Wednesday. visiting Lee's family. They gave us airline passes.
Yes, Wendy, I miss you too--so, when are we getting together? How about that Hannah, "Film-maker extraordinaire"? She and Dawn should collaborate.
HaHa! I didn't see your last comment (didn't scroll down!). I hope you have fun in WA! I want to come over and see what's up at your house, and with you...
Dawn--I love the 'gentle spikes' story! (Made me laugh out loud! But it's kinda strange too....) Thanks for stopping by!! (and commenting, of course!!)
That is so cool to have a terrarium at school of the caterpillar's you've found! Loved the picture also!
When ARE we stopping by? or when are YOU stopping by?
My calendar looks good this week ... how about yours?
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