Mystery seed is back for number 170!
This mystery seed was hard to extract from the fruit that had dried around it.
Perhaps you can recognize the dried fruit instead.
Please let us know if you have an idea what the plant might be.
Edit: The answer is now posted.
Today’s featured insect was inspired by a new children’s picture book, Glasswings: A Butterfly’s Story
Have you ever heard of a glasswing butterfly?
(Photograph by Scott Wylie, found at Wikimedia or his Flickr page)
The common name glasswing may refer to a number of different types of butterfly throughout the world, but we are going to focus on those of the tribe Ithomiini found in Central America. The wings lack scales and have other properties that make them transparent except for the edges.
Like our monarch butterfly, the glasswing larvae feed on a toxic plant (in this case nightshades) and become distasteful themselves. There is some evidence that the adult butterflies may be protected by chemicals, as well.
Also like the monarch, these butterflies migrate, flying from place to place.
(Illustration from Glasswings, used with permission from Elisa Kleven)
Here’s a short video showing some glasswing butterflies, one drinking from a flower. Isn’t it interesting how the different colors show through, almost like a picture frame?
Aren’t they amazing? It makes me want to travel to Costa Rica right now, what about you?
Have you ever seen a glasswing butterfly?
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Hopefully Glasswings will inspire others to create resting places for butterflies on their journeys. See Monarch Watch for information about planting a butterfly garden
For more about Glasswings: A Butterfly’s Story by Elisa Kleven see the review at our sister blog, Wrapped in Foil.
Age Range: 3 – 5 years
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
Publisher: Dial (April 18, 2013)
ISBN-10: 0803737424
ISBN-13: 978-0803737426
Today we are taking a short break from our Mystery Seed/Seed of the Week features to take a look at a new children’s fiction picture book, Miss Maple’s Seeds
Story: Miss Maple gathers up seeds that haven’t found a place a grow and keeps them safe over the winter. In the spring she sends the seeds out to meet their destinies.
Miss Maple’s Seeds has all the ingredients to become a classic children’s book. It has a message about growing up that will resonate both with children and the adults who read to them, saying the biggest of trees come from small seeds. It also subtly incorporates the changes of the seasons to reinforce the theme.
The illustrations have a soft, yellowed, old-timey feel. Although this is a fictional tale, one of the illustrations is a page with drawings of 20 different types of seeds (I should point out that the “seeds” from the fern as shown in the book are actually technically spores). See how many you have investigated and can recognize.
Miss Maple’s Seeds is likely to appeal to children who love nature and enjoy fairy tales. See what ideas it plants in you!
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Finding this book inspired me to create a list of children’s books about seeds at Science Books for Kids. It is a work in progress and I would welcome any suggestions, particularly books about seeds for older children.
Some other ideas for seed activities with children:
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Miss Maple’s Seeds
Age Range: 3 – 5 years
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books (April 4, 2013)
ISBN-10: 0399257926
ISBN-13: 978-0399257926
Book was provided by my local library.
Disclaimer: Linked titles go to Amazon for further information and reviews. Just so you know, I am an affiliate with Amazon. If you make a purchase after clicking on one of the links, I will receive a small commission at no extra charge to you, the proceeds of which will help pay for maintaining this website.
For more information, see Roberta Gibson Writes.
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