The Live Butterfly Garden

Discussion in As Seen on TV started by tommymac • Aug 1, 2012.

  1. tommymac

    tommymacActive Member

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    My daughter and I love this thing. It's a small screened butterfly basket along with five caterpillars. You watch the caterpillars mature in their own little sealed cup and they eventually spin cocoons. Once they're all in their cocoons, you place them in the basket and wait for them to emerge as butterflies. If you follow the directions closely, you can keep the butterflies alive for about a week or so.

    After one week, my daughter and I declare "Graduation Day" and have a little ceremony to let the butterflies out into the world.

    The best part is, you can re-use the basket and order more caterpillars from the company.
     
  2. sandooch

    sandoochActive Member

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    Why haven't I seen this? Is it on an informmercial? I need to get one. How much is one kit?
     
  3. tommymac

    tommymacActive Member

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    They may only run the ads during the Spring. The kit costs somewhere around $20 and a refill of caterpillars will cost you about $10 I think.
     
  4. ronnie41647

    ronnie41647New Member

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    I am so glad this works! I had seen it but hadn't bought it. I have a five year old daughter and she would love this. Her favorite book to check out from the library is one about buterflies. A science one not a story one lol. Thanks for posting this!
     
  5. dissn_it

    dissn_itActive Member

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    That is awesome! I remember doing this as a science project in school many, MANY years ago. I didn't know that they sold kits to do it at home now. It is a great way to teach kids about the life cycle and I am glad your released yours into the wild.
     
  6. ChanellG

    ChanellGActive Member

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    That's pretty cool! I have seen caterpillars grow from tiny, little string-sized worms to full-grown and spinning caccoons, and it is truly fascinating to watch. They eat a lot, lol!
     
  7. Deana

    DeanaNew Member

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    My girls and I have been doing this every year since they were little. Before that I bought them for the kids I nannied for. It's so easy! You get a little jar of caterpillars that sit there unopened for a week or two. When they all form their chrysalis, you take the paper from the top of the cup that they are attached to, and tape it inside the little bug house. In a week you have butterflies. You give them a little sugar water on a cotton scrunched up paper towel, then let them go. It's quick and easy to take care of. Save the house and reuse it with "refills" the following year.

    One year we went crazy and got the school kit with 30+ caterpillars. They ended up mating and we got a second generation!

    The butterflies are friendly too. When you let them go, they hand out and sit in your hands for a while. :D

    We have seen them at the stores on occasion, but you can always buy all kinds of fun stuff from Insectlore.com and earthsbirthday.org. We also got luna moths a few times, and our second favorite...praying mantis egg cases! They are really fun to watch hatch.
     
  8. retnam

    retnamMember

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    I've seen the kit in a few classrooms in elementary schools. Seems like fun for kids and a good learning experience. It's not something I would ever buy because I don't like bugs.
     
  9. Deana

    DeanaNew Member

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    The butterfly kit takes very little effort and almost no contact with the insects. The caterpillars come in an enclosed cup that has air holes in it it. The food is in the cup, so you don't need to feed them. You just watch them grow in the cup until they form their chrysalises on the paper that attached to the top of the cup. You open it, grab the paper, and take it to the inside of the butterfly house. Then you don't touch them again. In a week they come out and all you have to do is put a crumpled paper towel in the bottom and add sugar water. In less than a week, you open the butterfly house and let them go. The whole things takes less than 4 weeks from arrival to release. It's easy even for the squeamish!
     
  10. kittykarina

    kittykarinaActive Member

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    I've seen the commercial for these and they look really neat! I was actually interested in buying one for my son one day. He would be fascinated in watching the transformation happen.