Resources: Butterfly Gardens

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Resources

Web Sites We Like

Butterfly Images
The Butterfly Web site features a growing library of images of butterflies, moths, and their larvae, searchable by country, state and/or province. Be sure to check out the rest of the site!

Butterfly Garden Plants by Region
The North American Butterfly Association offers downloadable fact sheets and plant lists for butterfly gardening in 40 specific regions!

Monarch Watch
An outstanding educational site based on tagging and monitoring monarch butterflies. Offers curriculum for grades K–8, classroom-scientist partnerships, a butterfly garden kit, and much more.

Journey North: Tracking Monarch Migration
Another first-rate classroom resource. Students track spring and fall monarch migrations along with peers and scientists throughout North America. Also features more than 100 related activities for all seasons.

Butterflies as Pollinators
This is one installment of an excellent pollinator inquiry series for grades 3 - 8 created by the National Wildlife Federation.

Smithsonian Butterfly Garden Tour
If you can't take the live tour, at least visit online to learn about the various elements of butterfly habitat, from nectar plants to woodland edge.

Butterfly Making for Young Entomologists
Kids in early primary grades can build their own butterflies from recyclable materials, and in the process learn about insect anatomy, behavior, life cycles, and metamorphosis. (Acrobat Reader required for document download. Click here for a free copy.)

Harmony Habitat Butterfly Garden
Inspired students at this California elementary school wrote and illustrated this page about their butterfly garden.

Brecknock Elementary's Butterfly Garden
A photo gallery of this butterfly garden's progress, from soil prep to full bloom.

Butterfly Goods from the Gardening with Kids Store (Members save 10%!)

Monarch Magic! Butterfly Activities and Nature Discoveries
This book captures kids' curiosity as they raise and release monarchs, chart their migration, create butterfly art projects, and more. This is a great tool for teaching kids about life cycles and metamorphosis. At each stage, kids complete craft projects that help integrate what they've learned. Includes more than 100 full-color photos. 96 pages; ages 4 through 12.

Butterfly Fandex
Use our new Butterfly Fandex to learn about 50 common backyard butterflies. Each page includes a full-color photo, Latin name, range, preferred larval and nectar plants, and migration and mating habits. You'll also learn how to recognize each species in its caterpillar, pupal, and adult stages.

The Butterfly Book
Kids can find out how to attract and care for butterflies, and create indoor and outdoor butterfly habitats. Includes a color identification guide for 20 common butterflies. 40 pages; grades 2 through 6.

Butterfly Observation Kit
Allow inquisitive students to observe the life cycle of the butterfly. Caterpillars feed for 7-10 days before forming chrysalides, and butterflies hatch about 2 weeks later. Includes pop-up observation habitat, an instruction guide, and a mail-in coupon for 3-5 Painted Lady butterfly caterpillars. (You can reorder caterpillars separately for next season!)