NOT a “scary” bug – leads to caterpillar and butterfly education program

Kenton County Cooperative Extension 4-H (Kelley) and Horticulture Programs (Stanton) cooperated with 7 schools (10 teachers) in four districts, representing urban and rural communities, to present the Project Butterfly Wings program to 956 youth grades K-6. The purpose of the program was to engage youth in science and cooperate with local school 4-H club teachers so youth could learn about the role of butterflies in the environment as well as butterflies serving as pollinators. All current school club teachers indicated during yearly surveys (spring 2018) and lesson planning sessions(fall 2018) that pollinator and life cycle lessons were needed for youth. The butterfly wings curriculum used met the need identified is part of the Natural Resources program. Natural Resource youth education was identified as a need in the county Plan of Work survey conducted and applicable to the current 4 year plan of work cycle. Additional goals identified were that youth would experience authentic, hands-on, guided science inquiry. Youth would make discoveries through indoor and outdoor exploration, and participate in learning about butterfly monitoring and reach science benchmarks related to life cycles. All four of the identified goals were achieved, including many for adults involved as well, an unanticipated bonus. 

“We are unfamiliar with creatures outside, but comfortable with the human world. Butterflies are an invitation into the natural world and an introduction to the huge realm of insects, which seems particularly strange and threatening to many. But there is nothing scary about butterflies; indeed their beauty is almost impossible to resist…”Tom Emmel & Mark Deyrup.

The CES 4-H Agent Kenton conducted individual orientation sessions for teachers providing habitats, caterpillars, milkweed for caterpillars to eat, milkweed source identification, and caterpillar care instructions. Regular email, text messages, and multiple site visits for insect care were also provided to cooperating classrooms by extension agent and program assistant. Emails provided materials, contact information for guest speakers about Monarch tagging, and care instructions for the butterflies as well as release information. The CES 4-H agent(Kelley) also constructed low cost butterfly habitats for use as butterflies stretched and pumped their new wings prior to being released. 

Teachers provided verbal and written evaluation results. Six teachers reported that students were able to relate, identify and understand that the ‘extra’ caterpillars that emerged in their habitat came from eggs that were on the milkweed when it was placed in the habitat for the original “re-homed” caterpillars to eat. Youth were able to observe a complete life cycle – egg, caterpillar, pupae, and butterfly, and then relate the observation and understanding to other species like a chicken, fish, or amphibian. Teachers and youth were excited to have the caterpillars in their rooms and the shared observation stations because the caterpillars were relocated from the Kenton County Extension education garden because the Monarch waystation had become infected with aphids. Youth learned that butterflies could suffer from a virus – like people do, youth were empathetic about the loss of pupae to the virus and parasites. Several habitats suffered the loss of a pupae due to the infestation of the tachiniid fly. However only one habitat was a complete loss but fortunately that location had two habitats. Youth and adults learned to identify the ‘frass’ – caterpillar poop, and the poop of the parasite. Learning to examine the poop left in the habitat helped determine which chrysalis should remain in the habitat and which pupae needed to be removed. Youth learned to clean the habitats and care for the caterpillars. Everyone who observed the caterpillar habitats were amazed at their ability to eat milkweed and produce ‘frass’. Teachers reported that youth learned and used new vocabulary words. Multiple teacher written reports indicated youth conducted research to identify moths and butterflies, the chrysalis of different butterflies, and how to tell the difference between male and female Monarch butterflies. Observing firsthand, the process of metamorphosis, parts of the butterfly, and the opportunity to watch the release of the butterfly were cited most often as the educational opportunities youth received because Kenton Cooperative Extension provided the opportunity for local youth. 

Project butterfly wings also involved multiple local 4-H volunteers who located, cut and delivered milkweed which was provided to the classroom habitats. 13 adult, teen and youth volunteers were involved in keeping the caterpillars fed. Two volunteers helped significantly by delivering milkweed directly to schools participating. One family who helped collect milkweed for an observation station reported practice change of their great uncle. Instead of mowing the milkweed in a field as he usually would, he left a large patch in the field because he saw the butterflies and he knew 3 members of his family had been collecting milkweed to feed the caterpillars at a local school. He was also interested in the educational effort and his family members’ excitement. One local veterinarian located a large milkweed patch and the information was shared with an extension assistant in a neighboring county who also needed a source of clean, tender milkweed. 

100% of the teachers involved want to participate in the program in the fall of 2019. 80% are interested and willing to plant food sources for the caterpillars and butterflies in their school gardens in the spring of 2019 to support the effort.  Teachers reported that entire floors of students were fascinated by the emergence of the butterflies from the chrysalis and teachers funneled as many students past the emerging butterfly as possible. The fascinating process excited local youth and their interest in entomology has increased. The next steps will be applying for grant funds to support the purchase of feeder plants and soil mix for the spring of 2019. Grant funds will also be sought for higher quality observation stations and habitats for the caterpillars and butterflies.  submitted Oct 10, 2018 updates possible as additional evaluations are received; video of butterfly release to be uploaded.