Butterfly Education Kit Giveaway 2024

Every year, I giveaway Butterfly Education Kits to various schools in Cornwall to raise awareness of the importance of butterflies and their fascinating life cycle.

​Ladock C of E Primary School is one of them, Cuby's class of Miss Sarah Edwards. I was delighted to meet the children. They are very enthusiastic. I am looking forward in visiting them again soon.

There are 59 Butterflies in the UK, 57 resident and 2 regular migrants. There are 36 Butterflies in Cornwall, 34 resident and 2 regular migrants.

Rowena Castillo-Nicholls presenting the Butterfly Education Kit to Sarah Edwards, EYFS teacher

Cuby's class, Ladock C of E Primary School

I am a “Stem Advocate” (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). I have been raising awareness on the importance of "Education". My parents are both teachers, so I grow up knowing the importance of education, going to university, and getting a degree and finishing it. Education enables us to develop our skills and abilities; helps us reach our goals and aspirations in life; achieve our dreams; enhance our knowledge. Every year, I giveaway "Butterfly Education Kits" to various schools in Cornwall to raise awareness of the importance of butterflies and their fascinating life cycle.

I am a Sustainable Development Goals number 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing) Advocate." I have been raising awareness through “Connect with Nature” because it benefits both our health and wellbeing. 

​I am a "Wildlife Advocate". I have been raising awareness on the importance of wildlife through "Wildlife Matters". I organise and lead nature walks. I do bird and butterfly survey and monitoring.
  
I am Trustee and Publicity Officer of Cornwall Bird Watching and Preservation Society (Cornwall Birds or CBWPS).
 
I am a volunteer of Three Bays Wildlife Group. I do Seaquest Survey in Dodman Point. I do Butterfly Transect in Portmellon Valley and The Lost Gardens of Heligan.
​ 
I am a volunteer Chough Watcher (nest site monitoring and protection) for National Trust and RSPB.

I am the Author and Photographer of "Paloresow Kernewek, The Cornish Choughs on the North Cornwall Coast" published in 2013. I am currently working on my next book.

I love inspiring people through my photographs and making a difference in the life of others through my advocacy and projects.

The Giant Butterfly Garden Includes:
● Pop-up, reusable 45cm tall super clear mesh habitat
●6-10 LIVE caterpillars with food (2 cups of caterpillars) or voucher to redeem for caterpillars (caterpillars available March to mid-September)
● Painted Lady butterfly life cycle stages figurines
● Feeding pipette
● Instruction guide
● x2 chrysalis stations (arrive with the caterpillars)
● Insect Lore sugar packet to make your very own Butterfly nectar (arrives with the caterpillars)

Life Cycle of a Butterfly:​

​1. First Stage:
Embryonic Stage – Egg (3-5 days)
A butterfly starts its life as an egg, often laid on a leaf. The eggs come in many shapes and colours. The shapes include spherical, oval, and pod-shaped; the colours include white, green, and yellow. The eggs have a thin, tough, protective shell, the chorion. This shell has raised ribs or pits (reticulations). The length of time required for the egg to hatch is dependent on the species and the environmental. Some species lay winter-hardy eggs in the fall, which hatch the following spring or summer.
 
2. Second Stage:
Caterpillar Comes Out! (5-10 days)
The caterpillar or larva hatches from an egg and eats leaves or flowers almost constantly. The caterpillar will increase up to several thousand times in size before pupating. When a caterpillar gets too big for its skin, it molts or sheds its old skin and keeps eating more.
 
3. Third Stage:
Chrysalis - Metamorphosis Begins (7-10 days)
The chrysalis or pupa is the stage in a butterfly's life when it is encased in a chrysalis and undergoing metamorphosis. Wings develop during this stage. About a day before the adult butterfly emerges, the chrysalis becomes transparent.
 
4. Fourth Stage (Imaginal Stage):
Butterfly Emerges! (2 weeks)
A beautiful, flying adult emerges. This adult will continue the cycle. The adult is also called the imago, emerges from its pupal cuticle with a swollen abdomen and shrivelled wings. For the first few hours of its adult life, the butterfly will pump hemolymph into the veins in its wings to expand them. The waste products of metamorphosis, a reddish liquid called meconium will be discharged from the anus