Experience Synopsis: To accommodate two simultaneous groups, the session is divided into two sections, so that one group goes into the Butterfly House first and the other paints their wings first, then they swap over. Wing construction is completed at school prior to the visit, using a pattern provided in the Teachers’ Notes on the website.
Students meet the educator outside the Butterfly House. Students are led to the painting area where they paint their wings. The wings are stacked on to the drying racks. Using puppets operated by the children, they assist the educator in telling the butterfly lifecycle story.

Inside the Butterfly House, students find butterflies with different colours and patterns on their wings; observe courtship; mating; egg laying; basking and territorial behaviour. Out in the World of Bugs, the students guess the parts of the butterfly from the huge, colourful electron microscope photos. They have the option of observing the three-minute lifecycle video.

Discussion about planning a school butterfly garden is an option, with the offer of ongoing advice from Discovery and Learning. 

Audience: Ages 5 to 7 years. 

Duration: Forty-five minutes, but could easily be extended to one hour. 

Cost per participant: AU$12.50 (includes entry to the zoo for the day and the session with an educator). 

Setup Costs: AU$380 for drying rack; AU$105 for 21 pans Crayola Pan Watercolour sets. 

How the experience is marketed: On the website with Curriculum links; Useful Resources; Pre and Post Visit Activities; Teacher Notes and Background Information available for teachers to download:

‘Let the myriad colours and patterns of the butterflies in the Butterfly House inspire your students to paint their own butterfly wings while learning about the fascinating butterfly behaviours and lifecycle. Discuss how to design and plant a garden to attract local butterflies.’

Staffing requirements: One educator per group of students. Timetabled time for setting up and cleaning up. 

Links and Partners: Horticulture Department; Invertebrate Department; any animal section with a warm glasshouse nearby to assist with drying wings on a cold day!

Resources to successfully run the class: 

• Sheltered area for painting 
• Sufficient paintbrushes and sturdy tubs of water 
• Tap and drain close by for filling tubs and tipping out used water 
• Three foldaway tables to be comfortably used by 25 children at a time 
• Chux Superwipes for wiping down the tables 
• Staff available for setup and clean up 
• Drying rack on coasters that can hold up to 30 pairs of wings. 
• Lifecycle puppets: leaf with eggs underneath; caterpillar; butterfly that can be pulled out of a soft brown bag (pupa).