I was thinking these would be a fun thing to do this winter. Would love to know where you guys bought yours and what your experience was like with them.
I don't know about where you live, but usually tadpoles and caterpillars are only obtainable in the Spring. Try a Praying Mantis egg case. It takes months for them to grow.
We did a Butterfly kit a couple of years ago. I don't think Winter would be the best time, though, because once they are grown, you are supposed to let them go. I bought our from Home Science Tools. It's whatever brand they have (though not exclusive to them).
I wish I lived in the US for this reason alone. Here in Canada you can't order tadpoles at all. And butterflies you have to order from a place that charges $100! So I am so happy to see a Monarch has been visiting my garden this summer. I am hoping it returns next spring to lay eggs I will be checking that Joe Pie Weed over and over for signs of life next year lol
I've done the butterfly kit and the ladybug kit. I bought the butterfly kit originally through My Father's World, but I've purchased subsequent caterpillars and the ladybug kit straight from Insect Lore. I have to admit that my husband and I were probably more fascinated by the butterflies coming out than the kids were. You can tell when they're just about to hatch out of the cocoon because the cocoon becomes more translucent and you can see their wing patterns through the shell. When you see that, plant yourself and wait. Ladybugs were fun, and we ended up with a bumper crop of the things the following summer. LOL
Thanks weveryone, I never thought of a praying mantis. I was thinking of doing the frog first since it takes the longest then do the caterpillars around easter time so they can go out when it is warm.
Try Boreal.com for tadpoles or frog eggs. But you can't release anything you grow. Expect to have frogs as pets. For butterflies have you tried Canadian Home Education Resources for caterpillars? I think they have them available in the Spring. I am trying to find a local source. This last spring and early summer we searched for tadpoles and caterpillars and came up empty.
I plan on doing tadpoles this spring. We have a pond in our back yard, so I am going to "borrow" a few to grow in our aquarium. Then when they are grown I can release them into the yard.
We did butterflies in first grade and he loved it. We lived in Fort Collins at the time and we took them across the street to the CSU gardens and let them go. It was a lot of fun and all of them hatched! It was warm when we did it - so we must have started them in the spring and let them go in the summer. My daughter did a tadpole when she was in public school but it never turned into a frog and we moved and gave it to another family. I guess the bullfrogs have a longer tadpole stage than most?? I don't really know but it was HUGE. We've also hatched TONS of chicken, duck, and goose eggs.
There's some big tadpoles we use to catch when I was a kid that actually takes two years to change into a frog!!!
I haven't read all the posts, so I am sorry if I am repeating, but you could also try an ant farm. Those are great during the winter months. We did that last year and everyone really enjoyed it!
In the spring we went to Three Creeks metro park and did a hour class about frogs, even went to a pond and caught tadpoles. Bullfrogs take two years peepers only take a year.
I want to do a ant farm but we're going to wait, last summer she stepped in a fire ant hill during vacation and is still kind of freaked out by them. Hopefully by next winter the fear will have passed.
Yeah, it was a long wait. I'm looking at the kits that come with frogs that change quickly though I may see what the park service recommends
