Biology students raise and release butterflies

Carlson’s biology class are raising butterflies as a part of their bug project this year.

by Alexandra Frisch, Staff writer

This year in Biology teacher Amy Carlson’s class, students have been raising butterflies as a part of their bug project. According to Carlson, the class received the butterfly eggs from Nicole Slokum’s grandmother who had helped the biology class with their bug projects in the past.

They have been raising swallowtail and monarch butterflies, according to Carlson, and have watched them go through all the stages of metamorphosis. When the butterflies are fully grown they are released off of the roof of Donnelley. They have released eight and expect about eight more.

“We’ve released four monarch [butterflies],” Carlson said. “We tagged them so that if they make their way down to Mexico in their migration, if someone finds them they will send us a certificate.”

According to Carlson the releases have been mostly successful with the only mishap being an escaped monarch butterfly who was sucked up the air conditioning vent.

“We have about a 90% success rate,” Carlson said. “We’re saving the world here in D314.”