1 Butterflies Photos and presentation by Sherry Guyberson

To make a wish come true, whisper it to a butterfly. Upon these wings it will be taken to heaven and granted. For they are the messengers of the Great Spirit. Native American Legend  

Why will only 1 out of every 100 monarch eggs will become a butterfly? Deforestation-we destroy their habitat to build houses, malls etc. Herbicides-weed killers (milkWEED) Predators-things that eat them Pesticides-bug killers Parasites-they feed off the larva Mowing milkweed (killing eggs and caterpillars living on it) 3

Monarch Dating and Mating The males will patrol an area and perch on nearby plants waiting for a female to fly by. When one does, he will attack and attach to the female. The female will put up a fight, but he must be strong enough to fly in the air supporting her weight too! She will only mate with one stronger than she. 4

After mating she will fly from plant to plant lightly touching down to taste them (looking for only milkweed). When she tastes it, she will lay her egg, hopefully only 1 per plant. (The babies will eat 1 plant by themselves). Here she is touching her abdomen to the underside of the leaf. She will do this for every egg. 5

Here is 1 egg 6

The cream colored egg will turn clear with a black top. This is the caterpillars head. The larva (or caterpillar) is ready to hatch. 7

A new caterpillar is born. His first meal will be his eggshell. Then he will eat the soft fuzzy fur of the underside of the leaf. 8

Baby munchie marks 9

10 These caterpillars eat so much that they grow 26,000 times their birth size in two weeks and have to shed 5 times. Each time they shed they graduate to a new instar. After making a small silk button they will stick their back feet into it. They move forward and slide right out of the old skin. It’s like taking off a wet bathing suit! They will then turn around and eat that skin. Face mask

It takes about two weeks to fully grow and start to “wander” 11

12 Monarchs eat in a semi-circle. The milkweed caterpillar will eat an entire side of the leaf up to the vein. Some caterpillars like to hide in their food, so they roll up into it, eating from the inside out! Spicebush Silver Spotted Skipper Milkweed Caterpillar

13 Which way do I go? 23 chrysalides

14 When the caterpillar is exhausted and can wander no more they will make a button/pillow using the spinneret's below it’s mouth to spin a web to support itself for the next adventure! Cremaster, button or pillow

This will be his last shed 15

16 This is what he looks like once his last skin is shed….strange huh? (He will still wiggle too!)

17 He has just made his chrysalis These are 24 hrs or older

Butterfly soup 18 Depending on heat and humidity, the butterfly will eclose in about 2 weeks. In cooler temps it will take longer. The caterpillar's DNA is being totally re-arranged, adding and losing body parts

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

This step is very important. The butterfly must be holding on tightly as his body slides out and has to turn himself right side up . If he falls he will be doomed because his wings will not dry properly and will be deformed. 26

As the belly gets smaller the wings get bigger 27

Holding on tightly, his belly holds the fluid that will pump through his wing veins to inflate them to the proper size. 28

Doin’ a fine job! 29

30

The next step is to put the two sides of his proboscis (straw) together. If he does not do this he will not be able to nectar and will die. 31

32

33

34

35

36 Migration to the North, usually around Memorial Day in Northern Indiana, Southern Michigan.

37 Fall migration to the South, for the warmer temps.

38 In the late summer the monarchs go into diapause, not laying eggs to conserve their strength for their flight south. Millions of monarchs fly to Mexico to stay warm while we enjoy winter. But there too their habitat is threatened by the loss of the trees surrounding their wintering grounds. This will result in fewer monarchs every year.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO GET IT IN YOUR EYES The only food a monarch caterpillar can eat is milkweed, and they can eat a 4 foot plant in two weeks 39

Except the Milkweed Caterpillar, who grows up to be a Tussock Moth 40

41

42 It’s quite an amazing thing to watch an egg being laid to the lift off of a butterfly’s first flight. It gives us such a feeling of joy to watch them lift higher and higher! Sometimes it’s as if they are spiraling up to the heavens and others will seem more like a plane on a horizontal runway. How ever they ascend, to dance in the wind is how it should be! Since 2005 we have raised and released over 1000 monarchs.

OTHER BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS WE RAISED IN 2007 and 2008

44 Spice bush, sassafras

45 Spicebush and sassafras

46

47

48

49

50 Fennell, rue, dill, parsley, queen Ann's lace

Painted lady

52

53 nettles

54

POLYMEPHUS MOTH

Mexican Bluewing Postman Clipper Orange Tiger Julia African Monarch 56 Others we admired

57

58

59

If you want butterflies at home you will need Shelter - trees or bushes to hide or keep dry Adult food - nectar from flowers or rotted fruit Baby food - plants the larva will feed on Basking area - to lay in the sun and warm their wings Puddling area - for boys to hang out and get nutrients No pesticides – unless you consider them a pest 60

Thank you for watching! Please respect Mother Nature!! by The Golden Rule Productions