Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

I'm doing a butterfly project...I have a question about how to do it?

This is the project:


The Butterfly's Secret: How Do Temperature and Light Affect the Time It Takes a Chrysalis to Hatch?

Experimental Procedure

As the Painted lady caterpillars formed into chrysalises I number them and put them into 1 of 4 clear plastic boxes. Box A: warm/light, temperature 71.4 deg F with 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. Box B: warm/dark, temperature 71.4 deg. F. where there was 20 hours of darkness and 4 hours of daylight. Box C: cold/light, temperature 56.6 deg. F where there was 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. Box D: cold/dark, temperature 57.1 deg. F where there was 20 hours of darkness and 4 hours of daylight. A digital thermometer is used.

My question is how can I properly regulate the temperature of the box that I keep them in? I really want to do this project so I need to figure this out. Thanx soo much!

i know how to keep them warm but still not sure how to keep the others cold.

Excellent project, ash_mercedes! Have you considered putting your cold set-up in a styrofoam box or ice chest (similar to what you use on picnics or camping) with ice packs? That may help keep the temperature down to around 10 degrees Celsius (or 57 degrees Fahrenheit).

Please let me know if this works.

clk

Mercedes,

Why use 2 variables? light and temperature. Why not keep it simple use one or the other. Light has been used to determine the circadian rhythm cycles in moths and flies. There are some very interesting studies about this.

Perhaps, you can use different colors of light. Or different temperatures with the same amount of light and dark.

Both would give you plenty of data to decipher

Good luck.

This is the project:


The Butterfly's Secret: How Do Temperature and Light Affect the Time It Takes a Chrysalis to Hatch?

Experimental Procedure

As the Painted lady caterpillars formed into chrysalises I number them and put them into 1 of 4 clear plastic boxes. Box A: warm/light, temperature 71.4 deg F with 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. Box B: warm/dark, temperature 71.4 deg. F. where there was 20 hours of darkness and 4 hours of daylight. Box C: cold/light, temperature 56.6 deg. F where there was 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. Box D: cold/dark, temperature 57.1 deg. F where there was 20 hours of darkness and 4 hours of daylight. A digital thermometer is used.

My question is how can I properly regulate the temperature of the box that I keep them in? I really want to do this project so I need to figure this out. Thanx soo much!

i know how to keep them warm but still not sure how to keep the others cold.[/quote]