Biology/Butterfly Sites

Butterflies and Moths of North America
http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/
Butterflies and Moths of North America Web site is a "work in progress," consisting primarily of the following information: maps showing the counties where species has been verified, photos, and species accounts (information on size, identifying characteristics, life history, flight, caterpillar hosts, adult food, habitat, species range, conservation status, and management needs). Only weakness is there is no ability for a keyword search. From the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Butterfly Farm
http://www.butterflyfarm.co.cr/ed/index.htm
This site, selected by the SciLinks Program sponsored by the National Science Teachers Association, is a wonderful resource for learning about butterflies. It contains a photo gallery and a student resource guide containing units such as butterfly physiology, pupa stage and the difference between moths and butterflies. The site can be used in English or in Spanish.

Butterfly Site
http://www.thebutterflysite.com/
With the Butterfly Site you can check out 12 exciting topics that will help you with your butterfly activities. From Rearing Butterflies to Releasing Butterflies it is all here on this site. Sections include Gardening, Rearing, Fun Facts, and Pictures.

Jake and the Migration of the Monarch
http://www.monarchpublishers.com
Monarch Publishers' author and artist (public school board members) Website features their new children's book Jake and the Migration of the Monarch. It is a wonderful story about a young boy and his loving mother, exploring the marvels of the monarch butterfly migration. Their website is full of fun activities for children, wonderful music and songs, beautiful artwork. Very educational and includes teacher and parent guides for art, music, science, math, drama, dance, social studies, Spanish, and language arts.

Monarch Migration
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/alienempire/voyagers.html
Explore the paths of Monarch migration in this online field trip, with a Flash presentation on the Monarch butterfly, followed by an insect scramble puzzle.

Monarch Watch
http://www.monarchwatch.org/index.html
Besides being exquisitely beautiful, butterflies (especially the Monarch variety) present a wealth of teaching opportunities, as this site sponsored by the University of Kansas shows. The home page offers a wealth of clickable links to content-rich segments to develop curriculum units around these fascinating creatures. There is even a segment explaining how to create a class project to grow the flowers that attract most butterflies and another on how to grow milkweed, the plant that provides sustenance for the Monarch. Don't miss the multimedia gallery featuring photographs and drawings of Monarchs and other insects.