Science experiment: Caterpillar to chrysalis

Watch the life cycle of a caterpillar and see it go from crawling to chrysalis and be amazed as you release it flying into the air. From crawler to flyer, watch it grow and discover new facts.

What you need:

• ice-cream tub
• pencil
• caterpillar
• leaves

Number of players:
1+

Activity:

With your pencil poke a few holes in the lid of a big plastic ice-cream tub.

Add some twigs into the tub.

Go out on a caterpillar hunt. When you find one, put that leaf and the caterpillar in the box with a few more leaves from that same plant.

Put the lid on and leave it somewhere warm (however, don't leave the box in direct sunlight).

While checking on your caterpillar every day, put in some fresh leaves from the plant you found the caterpillar on.
 
After a couple of weeks, the caterpillar should make a small, brown, case-like shell.

Once this happens, check the tub more regularly as the caterpillar will turn into a butterfly or moth.

Once this happens, release it back outside. 

It should hatch between 7-10 days.

If this doesn't occur, carefully put it back outside and let it happen naturally.

Image from Shutterstock