moth Caterpillar Rearing programme for schools

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 The Moth Caterpillar Rearing Program is an educational initiative designed to engage students in hands-on learning about biodiversity, life cycles, and environmental stewardship. By participating in this program, students will have the opportunity to rear moth caterpillars, observe their transformation into moths, and gain a deeper understanding of the role these insects play in local ecosystems. 

What are moths? Learn more about these fascinating insects here

Why study Moths?  

Moths undergo complete transformation or ‘metamorphosis’ from the early to adult stages. They not only have a physical transformation, their diet, survival instincts, dependency on different senses also change. Growing up to be a moth, every stage of the life cycle is vulnerable to predation, which leads to elaborate methods of defenses that they adopt to deter them. By observing life cycles, students will gain a better insight into mimicry or camouflage in nature. The hostplant database for moths in India is still patchy. Through this initiative, we aim to create an exhaustive database for moth hostplants. Students can learn more about plant-insect interaction, and this programme can facilitate further research in this area, in which there exists a large lacuna in our country.    

Objectives:

• Promote Environmental Education: Introduce students to the fascinating world of moths, emphasizing their importance in pollination and as part of the food web.
• Encourage Hands-On Learning: Provide students with the experience of nurturing living organisms, fostering a sense of responsibility and curiosity about the natural world.
• Support Biodiversity: Educate students about the significance of moths in maintaining biodiversity and the need to protect their habitats.

 How to look for a Caterpillar? Find out here

How is the lifecycle of a moth? Find out here

How to identify moth caterpillars from that of butterflies? Check here