Insect Lore Live Butterfly Garden – Review
As Naturalists we like to watch all things wild, and have in the past reared a caterpillar that we found in the garden (it turned out to be a Broad-Bordered Yellow Underwing), it was something that we enjoyed so when we saw Insect Lore’s Live Butterfly Garden advertised we couldn’t resist trying it out.
Insect Lore Live Butterfly Garden – Review
When the package arrived I was keen to open it and see what we had but it arrived while Bo was at school and so I had to wait. When I eventually picked her up and brought her home (it felt like forever) we dove straight in.
in the box were 5 tiny caterpillars in their own pot with all the food they need to grow, a mesh holder to move them to and a small pipet for feeding the butterflies.
The Way it Works
You leave the caterpillars to feed and grow in their tub. Then after around 5 days they are big enough and start to pupate on the piece of cardboard attached to the lid. Once they have all pupated you have to wait 3 days before moving them, this is so that the cases can harden so as to not damage them. When this has happened you transfer the card (with chrysalis still attached) into the mesh cage and wait. After 3-5 days the butterflies will start emerging.
Insect Lore only guarantee 3 out of the 5 will hatch. So we were very lucky when after a while all 5 had hatched out into beautiful Painted Lady butterflies.
As these are a native species you then release them out into the wild and boost the local population.
Value for Money
We missed out on the two for one deal that Insect Lore are offering (we ordered before it started). But for the education value, and the joy on my daughters face when they first started pupating, and then again when they emerged as stunning butterflies, it is well worth the cost. And next year we will already have the kit so just need to order a few caterpillars and we will be ready to go.
Conclusion
Id highly recommend this product to anyone who has children (old or young). Especially those who have kids who hold an interest in wildlife; as they will get so much out of watching how life can be so wonderful. I believe a number of schools already use this product, and I highly recommend that other schools follow suit. It is a great educational tool.
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8 Comments
Heather Haigh
What a lovely idea. My children are grown up now but my big kid of a hubby would absolutely love this!
Heather x
http://eeebgum.blogspot.co.uk/
AshleyBeolens
I must admit I enjoyed it too 🙂 I've added a link to the product now (completely forgot when I wrote it!) in case you wondered where it was from.
thesoupdragon44
this looks such a lovely activity to do with kids, I know that my son has done it at school but it might be nice to have a look at home over the summer holidays too. Thanks
AshleyBeolens
My daughter did it with school as well, but home was more special as it was just about us and we had more time with the butterflies.
Christina Marriott
I can definitely vouch for this product too! we order it every year for my nursery class when we look at lifecycles! fab product and great review!
#triedandtested
AshleyBeolens
It's great when schools/nurseries use things like this, more should be teaching about wildlife.
Kate Fever
What a lovely thing to watch happening, bet the children love it! Thanks for linking up with #TriedTested
AshleyBeolens
It was a great teaching tool, as well as a spectacle to watch.