PDA

View Full Version : Butterfly garden



clio0602
20-01-2011, 07:11 PM
I've just bought a national geographic butterfly garden from home bargains for £3.99. Its another £3 postage for the eggs but thought it was a bargain. Really hope it works never tried one before! Anyone had any success? X

~Chelle~
20-01-2011, 07:16 PM
Did this last year and had four painted lady butterflies. The kids really loved it, will definitely be doing it again this year x

guest4
20-01-2011, 07:17 PM
Hiya,
Yes, we did one last year, sent off for the caterpillars in March.
The postman bought them, 5 about 8mm long and about 1mm wide.
They ate all the food in the jar, grew HUGE and then turned into chrysalis in the jar!:)
They were fantastic, all the little ones loved watching them. We kept them in the net for around 4 days watching and feeding them, then had a butterfly release party in the garden. It ws fab! Gonna do it again this year.

Have fun:jump for joy:

Tracey x

Playmate
20-01-2011, 07:27 PM
Wow would love to do this where can I get more details?

clio0602
20-01-2011, 07:29 PM
Sounds great I'm excited now! Just bought a hardboard Hungry Caterpillar book as the paperback not doing too well lol x

MaryMary
20-01-2011, 07:34 PM
My mum bought one for my DS about 18 months ago. We got 5 butterflies, and it was much quicker than I was expecting! The kids all enjoyed watching them grow and change.
They set 4 of them free in the garden and watched them flutter away :) (One of them had a problem with it's wings. It had trouble getting out of the chrysalis, then it's wings didn't pump up, so we kept it in the net thingy). For quite a while afterwards, whenever we saw a butterfly the LOs would ask if it was one of ours! :D
I am going to get some more caterpillars soon, and do it again!

guest4
20-01-2011, 07:36 PM
We got ours from a company called Insectlore
They also do stick insects, snails etc.....
Tracey x

MaryMary
20-01-2011, 07:36 PM
PS That was a bargain! I think they are normally about £18 aren't they?:clapping:

Louise0208
20-01-2011, 07:41 PM
Just paid £10.99 on ebay for mine....never used one before, its looks great :thumbsup:

Playmate
20-01-2011, 07:41 PM
PS That was a bargain! I think they are normally about £18 aren't they?:clapping:

Ive just found one on Amazon for £10.99

clio0602
20-01-2011, 07:58 PM
Home Bargains :thumbsup: there was stil loads left at mine!

Dragonfly
20-01-2011, 08:02 PM
You can get eggs/crysalis from www.wwb.co.uk

louise
20-01-2011, 08:21 PM
I would love to do this but worried my cats might decide they want to play with them. :(

mufftie
20-01-2011, 08:25 PM
wow never heard of tem before , got to be more exciting than the triops lol , ill definately give this ago
any particular time of year thats best to do it?

Milli147
20-01-2011, 08:46 PM
You need to make sure you will be around for the time it takes for them to hatch out - about 5 weeks as I remember depending on how warm it is. If you order the caterpillars from Insect Lore you can specify when you would like them to post them to you. June/July time is best I think as they hatch quicker if its warm.

Graham
20-01-2011, 08:46 PM
There is lots of Insect Lore stuff on the forum shop.

http://astore.amazon.co.uk/childminding-21?_encoding=UTF8&node=14

miffy
20-01-2011, 09:21 PM
I got the butterfly garden with my tesco (or was it sainsburys) vouchers, got to send off for the caterpillars this year.

Miffy xx

FussyElmo
20-01-2011, 09:49 PM
Snap I got one too :thumbsup: Got to love Home bargains:)

manjay
20-01-2011, 09:54 PM
I got mine from Insectlore last year. It was great fun although they all hatched so quickly we managed to miss all of them. I gave the net a wash and we will do it again this year. The children want to put a cctv camera on them so we don't miss them this time:rolleyes:

babs
20-01-2011, 09:57 PM
i want to grow butterflys this year kids are gonna love it....

keeks
20-01-2011, 10:37 PM
We used to do it every year at my nursery. The children LOVED watching them grow and change. I was very impressed!

xx

AnnieM
20-01-2011, 10:53 PM
Oooh, I feel a trip to Home Bargains coming on tomorrow, I need to go to Toys r us anyway which is on the same retail park, just hope they have some as I never have much luck with Home Bargains. :thumbsup:

wendy222
21-01-2011, 07:31 AM
well im of to get one today to :clapping: :clapping:

AliceK
21-01-2011, 10:04 AM
Might have to get one of these this year. My DS's year 1 class did it and he thought it was great and talked about it for ages afterwards.

xxxxx

appleblossom
21-01-2011, 01:33 PM
I have been doing this for a few years. The butterflies nearly always hatch out beautifully. Remember though, don't do it when you have mindees/yourself going off on holiday for at least a month.

Our pre-school has bugs/insects on the curriculum every year but don't do anything like this. Last time I had my inspection Mrs O was very impressed to hear about this and see the photos, as it complements the topic at pre-school so well.

AnnieM
22-01-2011, 06:00 PM
Just been and got one of these today, last one in the shop. :clapping: I like it better than the insect lore one I used to have as it has a clear perspex side for better viewing. :thumbsup:

MaryMary
22-01-2011, 06:23 PM
I have never heard of Home Bargains, but I have just googled it, and there is one opening next week about 10 miles away :clapping: I think I might have to check it out :)

onceinabluemoon
22-01-2011, 06:38 PM
We did this last year too, with the insect lore set.

My mindees were not at all interested!!

I did everything I could to 'big it up' including getting books, hungry caterpillar toys, made up life cycles etc etc and they'd look for 2 seconds if I was lucky :(

My own family thought they were brill though and we were all fascinated with the cocoon process so all was not lost!

One thing I would mention, the instructions said to not send off for the eggs until it was warm outside (I think it was about 20- 24 degrees) or the butterflies would die when they are set free.
I'm sure Insect Lore would not send the caterpillars out too early but I dont know about the cheaper ones...

louise
22-01-2011, 07:09 PM
Just been and got one of these today, last one in the shop. :clapping: I like it better than the insect lore one I used to have as it has a clear perspex side for better viewing. :thumbsup:

Is it still a net one? I would love to do this but I do think the cats may try and play with them. Can't have upset kids when they find out the cats got them

AnnieM
22-01-2011, 07:12 PM
The coupon for the caterpillars in the National Geographic set is for Insect Lore so they are coming from the same place. :thumbsup:

I honestly thought it was B&M Home Bargains, so went there first, we then were on our way to curry's when I spotted a shop called Home Bargains, so OH turned round and in we went. I must say it is a good shop, better than B&M IMO. :thumbsup:

clio0602
22-01-2011, 07:14 PM
One thing I would mention, the instructions said to not send off for the eggs until it was warm outside (I think it was about 20- 24 degrees) or the butterflies would die when they are set free.
I'm sure Insect Lore would not send the caterpillars out too early but I dont know about the cheaper ones...

I don't think its actually a cheap one its just cos it from Home Bargains :D . Its a National Geographic one and says to wait til June ish

onceinabluemoon
22-01-2011, 09:52 PM
I don't think its actually a cheap one its just cos it from Home Bargains :D . Its a National Geographic one and says to wait til June ish

Oops! that does sound kinda cheeky doesn't it - not intentionally. :blush:

I meant the ones which cost less, not cheaper as in tackier if you see what I mean. OMG I am so embarrassed! :blush:

AnnieM
22-01-2011, 11:20 PM
Is it still a net one? I would love to do this but I do think the cats may try and play with them. Can't have upset kids when they find out the cats got them

It is 3 sides fine mesh and one side clear PVC, there is a zip entry on one of the mesh panels. :thumbsup:

samd35
23-01-2011, 08:21 AM
Hi
We did this a couple of years ago. The children really enjoyed watching the caterpillars change and then become beautiful butterflies. We looked after them for a couple of days and then released them in the garden. They just kept still for a while , eventually flying away.

I want to do the stick insects this year.

Sam x

mrs robbie williams
23-01-2011, 08:26 AM
we did this last year and reading this has just reminded that we could do it again this year :) still got the net so only need the caterpillars and food. We had five last year, all painted ladies, beautiful. Looking through the insect lore catalogue they also have the butterfly tent thing that the butterflies can fly around in while the children sit in the tent as well but think my mindees are bit heavy handed for that at the moment ;)

linzi133
24-01-2011, 08:16 AM
Oooo I want some!

I'm now changing my plans for the day so I can check out home bargains!:)

guest4
26-01-2011, 08:40 PM
I'm considering growing the stick insects this time...... they look like greeeeeaaaat fun!!!! :laughing:

AnnieM
26-01-2011, 10:22 PM
I was going to do stick insects too until we saw some adult ones at the Butterfly House. :panic: Not the nicest looking critters!! :blush:

tracey36
27-01-2011, 07:39 AM
iv never tried this before i think my mindies would love it think a trip to home bargains is in order today :)

sweets
27-01-2011, 07:50 AM
ooh i couldn't do this :panic:

i have a bit of a butterfly phiobia! i think they look very pretty but i can't stand the way they flutter :blush: :blush:
I accidently bought one in with my washing last year and was nearly crying as was fluttering around the house and i couldn't do anything! in the end i hoovered it which i know is really really cruel :blush:

im even worse with moths but can just about deal with the tiny ones now.

Memina
01-02-2011, 08:59 PM
Is this right?

I have ordered and paid for a pack from Insect Lore and they wont dispatch until March.

Thanks

M

maisiemog
02-02-2011, 01:36 PM
Guess what shop I'm going to be going to this weekend when I go up to Coventry. We dont have one here!! If not I will defo be getting one off amazon!

Looks amazing!! All my LOs love the very hungry caterpillar at the moment so this will be very popular!!!