← Handbook of nature-study for teachers and parents, Volume 1
Chapter 147
Lesson LXX
The Black Swallow-Tail Butterfly
Leading thought—The caterpillars of the swallow-tail butterflies have scent organs near the head which they thrust forth when attacked, thus giving off a disagreeable odor which is nauseating to birds.
Method—In September, bring into the schoolroom and place in the terrarium, or breeding cage, a caraway or parsley plant on which these caterpillars are feeding, giving them fresh food day by day, and allow the pupils to observe them at recess and thus complete the lesson.
The Caterpillar and Chrysalis.
Observations.—1. Touch the caterpillar on the head with a bit of grass. What does it do? What color are the horns? Where do they come from? Are there two separate horns or two branches of one horn? What odor comes from these horns? How does this protect the caterpillar? Does the caterpillar try to hide under the leaves when feeding? Is this evidence that it is not afraid of birds?
2. Describe the caterpillar as follows: What is its shape? Is it larger toward the head or the rear end? What is its ground color? How is it striped? How many black stripes? How many yellow spots in each black stripe? Are the yellow spots in the middle, or at each edge of the stripe?
3. How do the front three pairs of legs look? How do they compare with the prolegs? How many prop-legs are there? What is the color of the prolegs? How are they marked? Describe the prop-leg. What is its use?
4. Observe the caterpillar eating a leaf. How does it manage so as not to waste any?
5. Have you found the egg from which the caterpillar came? What color is it? Where is it laid?
6. How does the young caterpillar look? What are its colors? How many fleshy spines has it on each segment? Are these white on the white segments and black on the black segments? What is the color of the spines at their base?
7. Watch one of these caterpillars shed its skin. How does it prepare for this? How does it spin its carpet? Where does the silk come from? Describe how it acts when shedding its skin?
8. When a caterpillar is full grown, how does it hang itself up to change to a chrysalis? How does it make the silk button? How does it weave the loop or halter? How does it fasten it? When the halter is woven what does the caterpillar do with it? Describe how the last caterpillar skin is shed. How does the insect use its loop or halter while getting free from the molted skin?
9. Describe the chrysalis. What is its general shape? What is its color? Is it easily seen? Can you see where the wings are, within the chrysalis? How is the chrysalis supported?
10. How does the chrysalis look when the butterfly is about to emerge? Where does it break open? How does the butterfly look at first?
The Butterfly
1. Why is this butterfly called the black swallow-tail? What is the ground color of the wings? How many rows of yellow spots on the front wings? Are they all the same shape? How are they arranged between each two veins? Describe the hind wings. What colors are on them that are not on the front wings? Describe where this color is placed. Describe the eye-spot on the hind wing. Where is it? How do the markings on the lower side of the wing differ from those above? How does the ground color differ from the upper side?
2. What is the color of the body of the butterfly? Has it any marks? Has it the same number of legs as the Monarch? Describe its antennæ. Watch the butterfly getting nectar from the petunia blossom and describe the tongue. Where is the tongue when not in use?
3. How does the butterfly pass the winter? How does the mother butterfly differ in size and in markings from her mate?
“The ‘caraway worms’ were the ones that revealed to us the mystery of the pupa and butterfly. We saw one climb up the side of a house, and watched it as with many slow, graceful movements of the head, it wove for itself the loop of silk which we called the ‘swing’ and which held it in place after it changed to a chrysalis. We wondered why such a brilliant caterpillar should change to such a dull-colored object, almost the color of the clapboard against which it hung. Then, one day, we found a damp, crumpled, black butterfly hanging to the empty chrysalis skin, its wings ‘all mussed’ as we termed it; and we gazed at it pityingly; but even as we gazed, the crumpled wings expanded and then there came to our childish minds a dim realization of the miracle wrought within that little, dingy, empty shell.” —How to Know the Butterflies, Comstock.