No more hanging around

They are flying free. The butterflies raised by Jennifer Day’s first-graders emerged from their hanging chrysalis exoskeletons and were released into the great outdoors.
 
The project was part of a science unit about animals and living things. The caterpillars arrived in the mail from an educational science company. In a plastic cup, the creepy crawlers spent about 10 days munching down on plant-based food before each formed its own chrysalis. The chrysalises were hung upside down on the roof of a netted tent as the pupa continued their transformation. After about two weeks, the adult Painted Lady butterflies sprang out.
 
The butterflies were nurtured with orange slices until they were ready to spread their orange and black wings outside. They’ll soon continue the life cycle by laying eggs of their own.
 
“The kids loved it,” said Day of the project. “They loved seeing the different stages of life. Every morning the second they walked in, they went to the cage to see if there was any change.”
 
All first grade classes participated in the project and witnessed Mother Nature’s magical handiwork firsthand. Each class released its butterflies separately on the Sandshore grounds.