Tad the Tadpole Project 2022

 

Books by the Bushel has added a new section to our website called "Interactive Literacy Activities" to encourage a learning experience along with some of our great titles. Our latest addition to the butterflies is "Tad," the tadpole. Originally BBTB had purchased two tadpoles, and over a couple weeks, we learned that one was not going to progress the way the other tadpole was. And then there was only Tad. 

The BBTB tadpole project was underway as we patiently waited for something called metamorphosis to take place. Originally, Tad would have started as a tiny clear jelly-like egg. Found floating in ponds or rivers. This would have been stage one of the life of a tadpole.

Next, the tadpole grows into more of a fish with gills and a tail. Tad will hatch and swim along the pond edge, looking for algae and plants to eat. Making this stage two of the life of a tadpole.

Within three weeks of having Tad, the tadpole had grown in length and started to take shape more of a frog with a tail. Still no sign of legs. Research said that Tad would develop the back legs first. This would be the first sign that Tad was becoming a "froglet." Once Tad has grown back legs, it can leap around instead of just swimming. Tad will also grow lungs and prepare to breathe outside of the water.

The BBTB team had upgraded Tad's habitat to a larger tank with a bubbler. Added a faux rock and branch for Tad to climb up on when the time was needed to take a break and breathe. Tad really enjoys the bubbler! We watch Tad swim up to the bubbler and let it twist and twirl his body around. 

The Time Had Come, And Tad Has Legs!

The day had come that Tad had finally grown a start of a leg! Every day for several weeks, the BBTB team would check on Tad and observe for physical changes. What seemed like forever. One day a team member noticed Tad starting to grow a clear camouflage leg. It was small and tough to see. According to research, Tad was between 6 and 9 weeks old and officially was in the metamorphosis stage. Over the next 4 to 6 weeks, we will observe Tad becoming more like a frog. Stay tuned!

 BBTB Painted Lady Butterfly Project

What a great experience we had here at the Books by the Bushel. Looking at the previous years with how Covid had affected things in many businesses. Most had foreseen ramping up their online and social media activity, bringing their customers into what is happening more behind the scenes. We had, and still currently, brainstormed for ways to interact with our beloved customers. This is what brought us to growing the Painted Lady's project. It was an exciting team-building project as well. Once the kit was ordered through amazon, our team anxiously waited to see them arrive in the mail. Finally, the day had come, and curiosity was in full motion.

Arrival Day

We each submitted a name we felt would fit our project. Considering we only purchased five caterpillars and we have eleven team members. We had to do a hat draw. The names chosen were Crunchy, Felicia, Fitzwilliam, Poppy, and Simon. Our team set up their habitat, and we were ready to start observing. We paired up this project with our book, The Life Cycle of Butterflies, written by Judy Burris and Wayne Richards

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At first, the caterpillars had to be observed from the jar they arrived in. They were about an inch in length and dark-colored with fuzzy hairs on their back. Nothing too distinctive about them yet. We noticed they would be particularly active in the morning and slow down throughout the day. Eat and sleep is what several of us would say they did. 

The interest grew immensely over the next couple of days as the caterpillars started to hang from the jar's lid. Curling into a "j" like figure and no longer moving about among the food. Periodically our team members would come in throughout the day to observe if any changes had occurred. Until one morning, we came in from the weekend to be very surprised. All of the caterpillars had morphed into the chrysalis stage. Four had made a secure webbing to hold onto the lid, and one had taken stage within the bottom of the jar among the food. The appearance of a gray-like shell with tiny gold specks now covered the "j" shaped caterpillar.

We had read that waiting an excellent solid three days would ensure the chrysalides were safe to move to the next part of the habitat. Removing the lid and placing them upright in a base provided. We needed to clear any extra webbing away from the chrysalides to prevent wing tangling once they were ready to emerge. Which was said to be in seven to ten days.

Now we wait.

Our team continuously checked on them throughout the week. Occasionally the chrysalides would shake and wiggle to "warn off danger" if we observed them too close. It was funny and fascinating to watch how this life process works. Imagine being out in nature and having no way to warn off your predators other than wiggling. Some say the chrysalides look like jewelry pieces from the gold sparkle specks. What if we were in ancient times and had no idea that this chrysalis was a living creature? What a surprise you would have once it broke free! 

Oh no!

A few days had passed, and to our excitement, Friday was a new stage for one of our chrysalides. A butterfly had emerged and was resting on the side of the lid. We noticed it was the darker one of the five. We had missed it! That morning we knew it was still in chrysalis form, and within a matter of minutes, we had a butterfly. We mixed up the "nectar" of sugar and water and soaked the sponge in the flower dish so that the butterfly would have it when ready. The other four were still holding strong and didn't show any signs of wanting to change, so we left the office for the weekend. Only to return Monday and find that the other four had made their appearance, and five butterflies were latched to the sides of the habitat. Sadly, we had missed all the transformations. But it was fantastic to see all the butterflies doing well in their netted habitat. Our team decided they should have a couple of days to dry out their wings and eat before releasing them. 

Releasing Day

Even though not all went as we had hoped for, the Books by the Bushel team really enjoyed this project. On our final day with our butterflies, we gathered outside and watched them fly off to find their new habitat in someone's garden. 

I imagine and hope they will bring someone else joy where there is a garden full of Hollyhocks, Verbena, and Coneflowers. So next time you are out and about and spot a Painted Lady butterfly, it could be one of our own Books by the Bushel's friends Crunchy, Felicia, Fitzwilliam, Poppy, or Simon.

 

 Something Is Happening!!

It appears that two out of the five are preparing to morph into the next stage!

Our book says when it's time for them to pupate,they will hang upside down and shed their skin one last time before forming the chyrsalis!

We couldn't be more excited!!

 Say Hello To Our Five Little Books By The Bushel Caterpillars!

Meet Crunch, Felicia, Fitzwilliam, Poppy, and Simon! 
Soon to grow into painted lady Butterflies, these little guys arrived yesterday to much excitement here at Books By The Bushel!
Over the next three weeks, we will watch and update you on how they grow!
Follow along in our book "The Life Cycles of Butterflies".