Part of the fun for me is finding the milkweed! I would give caterpillars to friends and take them to weed fields and show them how to find it.

I absolutely do not recommend shipping in butterflies. Fairfax Schools got burned again with diseased Monarch and Painted Lady caterpillars. I know of three schools who had total death. This is not an experience that I would want any child to watch.

Last year's diseased caterpillars were from a very large butterfly farm in Florida. 1,700 diseased caterpillars. 280 schools. Too much!

Ugh runmede, thanks for the reply. That's awful about the diseased caterpillars. I suppose a "learning experience" for the kids in some ways though, eh? : / Those numbers are awful.

MarylinAnn, easy to find milkweed if you are in the country or near roads with unmowed areas, and also have friends who are committed to finding and collecting fresh host plant fodder every day or so! :) Not so easy in the city...

A learning experience for me too. I had to give away containers because I was afraid after a teacher brought a contaminated container to get caterpillars. The caterpillars that I gave her died. I didn't find out that the container had been used at her school until later. This disease was so bad, not even bleach killed it. Nosema. The recommendation for this disease is to throw away your containers. 50 some wild Monarchs dead because of the disease sent with the Florida Monarchs. Plus schools, homes, and our environment polluted with disease.

I recommend planting some seeds or plants into containers. It is fun putting it together and you never know what you might attract. Add some parsley for the black swallowtails. You'd be surprise what shows up to use a pot of host and nectar plants even on a second story balcony or higher. See how to below. I wrote this for the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy

Here is a link that might be useful: Container Gardens

This post was edited by runmede on Mon, Jun 30, 14 at 12:30

that is true, sandwhy -- I was born in Chicago, went to New Trier and know Evanston well. I guess I've been living in the country so long I forgot about city life! : )

There are web sites where you can buy some caterpillars Sand.

They want to teach their children about butterflies by buying them off the Internet? Kid and parent will learn very little.

You learn about insects by hunting them and/or learning what successfully attracts them.

While I was growing up, I never had hostplants in my yard for the caterpillars I raised. As an adult living in apartments, I had no garden. Did not keep me from raising caterpillars. I kept my eyes open for hostplants and checked them wherever I saw them. Kept notes of where the hostplants were in case I needed leaves. Kept milkweed leaves in my fridge.

I've found monarch cats in the most urban areas. I believe it is actually easier to find monarchs in an area like that because the mama monarch's milkweed choices are very limited downtown. She is just happy to find a plant.

I find areas near freeways to be great places to find caterpillars, no matter where the freeway is located. The two BSTs I raised this year were from a Lowes in central Columbus that is just off I-71.

Oi vai... >__> I didn't list any web site, I could've. Sand asked, I answered.

I agree with KC... encourage them to start small - plant or grow some parsley or dill, in a pot or a small garden in their yard. Part of the fun is seeing the females lay the eggs, finding the eggs, growing the plants and feeding them to the larvae.

~Laura

Protego,
My answer had nothing to do with what you posted. Sorry that it appeared that way.

KC

Kc Clark, that's okay. It's alright. No problem.

Thanks everyone for the replies!