Clients from Jackson Developmental Industries Inc. recently got to watch butterflies be released after watching their evolution from caterpillar to cocoon to winged insect as part of a project.
JDI employee David Chandler facilitated the two-week process.
Caterpillars ate a base out of a small bowl in a netted habitat at the beginning of the project. They crawled around and ate for around a week until the caterpillars started cocooning at the top of the habitat. After a weekend, Chandler said eight butterflies crawled out of nine cocoons that had materialized.
Living in the habitat for about a week before being released, Chandler said he sprayed the habitat with mist every day to make sure the caterpillars and butterflies stayed moist to be able to stay alive.
Making sure the process goes smoothly, clients monitored the insects and fed them to make sure nothing went wrong and the caterpillars made a successful evolution to butterflies.
This included Dennis England, who said he looked over the butterflies and made sure they were OK throughout the process.
Taken to a grassy area behind JDI, the butterflies flew away from the habitat one by one across 8 minutes. Some left immediately, while others clung to sugar water before being pushed into leaving the habitat.
Chandler said the point of the project was to “watch the process of life.”
He said they’re also trying to raise praying mantises, but it hasn’t been as successful as the butterfly project. If successful, Chandler said there will be a multitude of praying mantises as opposed to the handful of butterflies.
The project was one of many projects planned for JDI clients this summer. In the future, they will be planting trees and tie-dyeing.
Located at 1820 First Ave. in Seymour, JDI operates under Developmental Services Inc., a not-for-profit organization that provides services for adults and children with mental, physical and emotional disabilities.