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PURPOSE Girls learn about the types of butterflies, their life cycle and migration habits. LEGACY This program was developed by Port St. Lucie Junior Troop 30331 to help reestablish butterfly populations devastated during the hurricanes of 2004. GIRL SCOUT LEVELS / REQUIREMENTS Girls need to complete a Take Action Project along with the following requirements. Girls are encouraged to complete at least one activity from each section: Discover and Connect. Daisy Girl Scouts: any 3 activities (include activity #2) Brownie Girl Scouts: any 4 activities (include activity #2) Junior Girl Scouts: any 6 activities (include activities #2, #3, and #6) Cadette, Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts: any 7 activities (include activities #2, #3, #6 and #8) LEADER’S TOOL KIT How to Feed Your Caterpillars and Butterflies o Nectar can be made by combining 4 parts water with 1 part white sugar. Boil the solution until the sugar is completely dissolved. Allow to cool. Place sugar solution to nectar feeder. Clean the feeder and replace sugar solution every day to prevent unwanted bacteria from forming. Extra solution can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. o Another option is to saturate a sponge with the sugar solution – but be sure again, to rinse the sponge thoroughly and replace the solution every day. There are hundreds of plants that can be used to build a Butterfly Garden. A few plants are suggested below.
o Host Plants – Malva (A weed), Milkweed, Mallow, Sunflower, Passion vine, Ruellia, Parsley, Plumbago, Anise or Fennel, Hollyhock
o Nectar Plants – Lantana, Daisy, Pentas, Porter weed, Butterfly bush or Buddleia, Passion vine
Useful resources can be discovered online via the Internet or by visiting your local county library or garden centers.
o Butterfly Centers in Florida Butterfly World 2600 W. Sample Road Coconut Creek, FL 33073 954.977.4400 www.butterflyworld.com/
Butterfly Rainforest Florida Museum of Natural History Cultural Plaza at University of Florida Powell Hall 3215 Hull Road Gainesville, FL 32611-2710 352.846.2000 www.flmnh.ufl.edu/butterflies
o Can a butterfly smell? How does a butterfly eat?
o How many butterfly species are located in Florida? In North America? In the world?
o What is our official state butterfly?
o What is the difference between a butterfly and a moth?
ACTIVITY #2: LIFE CYCLE STUDY
o Learn about the life cycle of the butterfly. Begin with the courtship, and then continue with mating, egg laying, caterpillar stage, pupae stage and finally, their emergence as a beautiful butterfly!
ACTIVITY #3: MONARCH MIGRATION
o Every year millions of Monarch butterflies fly up to 2,200 miles to their wintering grounds in Mexico. Environmental problems throughout the Monarch’s vast range have turned this wondrous passage into an endangered biological phenomenon.
o Discover what makes up the color patterns of butterflies’ wings.
o Why do butterflies have such vibrant colors and patterns?
ACTIVITY #5: ENDANGERED!
o Learn the names of the endangered butterflies in Florida. Try to find a picture of each.
o Discover what is being done to help protect these butterflies.
o Have a discussion: “What can we do to help?”
Connect
ACTIVITY #6: BUTTERFLY GARDENS
o Design a Butterfly Garden to attract butterflies.
o Visit your local garden center or online for guidance for types of plants for the garden to attract butterflies. Some ideas are Milkweed, Passion vine, Cassias and White vine. Some other nectar flowers are Mexican Flame, Pagoda Flower and Pentas.
o What is the difference between a Host plant and a Nectar plant? Flowers will produce nectar and plants can host space for egg laying. You could also place a nectar feeder in your garden or other lawn ornaments and/or relaxing sitting areas.
ACTIVITY #7: COLOR AND LABEL A BUTTERFLY
o Draw and color a butterfly native to Florida. Numerous butterfly color pages can be downloaded for free online.
o Examples are the Monarch, Zebra Longwing, Queen, Julia, Giant Swallowtail, or the endangered Miami Blue.
o Label the parts of a butterfly.
o Using a Field Guide as a reference, compare the butterflies. How are they same? How are they different?
ACTIVITY #8: LEARN ABOUT THE SCIENTISTS WHO WORK WITH BUTTERFLIES – VISIT A BUTTERFLY CENTER
o What is a Lepidopterist? Learn about the role they play for butterflies. What do you have to do to become a Lepidopterist? How long does it take?
o What is a Naturalist? Learn about the role they play for butterflies. What do you have to do to become a Naturalist? How long does it take? o Visit a butterfly center. See first-hand the breathtaking beauty of a butterfly and its whole life cycle.
ACTIVITY #9: BUTTERFLY HABITAT
o Construct a cage for caterpillars.
o Remember to supply them with plenty of room to move, appropriate food and lots of air circulation. Don’t leave your cage in the hot sun. o Keep a journal of the changes you may see. Release the butterflies once they emerge.
o For more information on how to build a good cage, visit the library or the website:
Take Action Share what you’ve discovered while doing this program by completing a Take Action project. Some suggestions are listed below:
PLANT A BUTTERFLY GARDEN o Design, plant and maintain a Butterfly Garden to attract butterflies for your school, church, nursing home or other locations in your community.
WRITE OR TELL A STORY o Daisy and Brownie Girl Scouts – Listen to a story about butterflies, and if possible, share that story with other children. Write and/or draw your own story about butterflies and display your work at your local library, school church or other community event. o Junior Girl Scouts – Write a poem or story, factual or “make-believe”, about butterflies. Display your work at your local library, school church or other community event.
PLAN A BUTTERFLY CELEBRATION o Host a table at a community event or plan a Butterfly event for your community.
Provide information to educate others about the butterfly and their importance.
Make a poster to advertise the endangered butterflies and how we can help.
Plan games and activities related to the butterfly.
Arrange a special ceremony to release butterflies.
BE A CITIZEN SCIENTIST o Help Monarchs - Report Your Sightings and Track Migration o For more information, visit https://journeynorth.org/monarchs
YOUR CHOICE o Any other activity that you can construct that would raise Sea Turtle Awareness in your community.
