Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Set up the environment. Put the cover on the plastic container and poke about 20 to 30 holes on the top of the cover with a pin. Since the sharp end of the pin is small, no spiders should be able get into the container and your tent caterpillars shouldn't be able to get out.
Decorate the inside of your plastic container with luscious, green leaves. You also can add a few sticks here and there for the tent caterpillars to crawl on.
Tear or cut about four pieces of paper 2 inches wide and bend/curl them a bit so that you can rest the paper on the side corners of the plastic container. Your tent caterpillars will find these "paper tents" quite attractive when deciding where to make their cocoons.
Introduce your tent caterpillars to their new home. Capture one off of a tree with a stick or finger and gently touch the inside of the container so that the tent caterpillar can stroll right onto a nearby leaf. Capture a few more if you like. Your tent caterpillars will use the leaves and the paper to make their cocoons. They'll also eat the leaves, though you might have to get rid of dried up leaves and add fresh ones occasionally. The tent caterpillars also eat slices of banana, but don't put too many slices in. One or two should do it.
Keep your tent caterpillars outside under a tree, if you prefer. Us a flat piece of computer paper over the cover to protect from rain. Put a few rocks over the top. The weight of the rocks will keep the container from tumbling around from the wind and the paper from falling off during rain.
Carefully open the container lid once your tent caterpillars have turned into moths and watch them fly off.