DAYS 18-22: Identifying Species, Mating, and Life History Report (5-10 min)
1. Now it is time to help the students identify the species. Provide them with a guide book, which they can use to figure out the common name (Painted Lady) and scientific name (Vanessa carduii) of their species of butterfly. In my classes, one student read the description, then passed the guide book to the other students to view. I reviewed the taxonomic breakdown from kingdom to species, as well as the importance of providing both common and scientific names for a species. We also discussed life history characteristics that would not be revealed in their observational research (such as migration, over-wintering, and distribution of the Painted Lady). (10 min)
2. The adult butterflies will begin mating within a day or two after emerging. Make sure students understand what they are doing -- the butterflies have a unique approach:
Mating Painted Lady Adults in Habitat
(Photo taken with digital camera)
Ask your students to observe the butterflies carefully. Can they tell the male and female apart? We never figured it out for sure.
3. Hand out rubric for Life History Report. (5 min)
I explained that the purpose of this report was to detail the life and metamorphosis of the butterfly using observations. This is a summary of their journal notes from the semester, written as though the reader is from Antarctica and knows nothing about butterflies.
