Contributed by Hummingbird Expert Lanny Chambers

  • longevity 
  • birth and growth 
  • heredity 
  • parenting behavior 
  • reproduction and care of young

 

Q. What is a hummingbird nest like?
A.
It is not much bigger than a ping-pong ball, a bottle cap, or a walnut shell. The female makes the nest with tiny bits of leafy material including little lichens, and weaves it together with spider silk. She builds the nest on a branch in a tree. A hummer will not use a birdhouse.

Teaching Suggestions: The Magic of Monarch Butterfly Migration

 

Every fall, a magical event takes place—the annual monarch migration to Mexico. Build a sense of wonder about monarchs and migration. Invite students to be citizen scientists, actively engaged in real-time scientific inquiry with Journey North as your guide.

Driving Question: What do you wonder about monarch migration?

Use with the slideshow: The Magic of Monarch Migration

Contributed by Dr. Karen Oberhauser

Includes

  • food
  • habitat and range
  • niche
  • enemies
  • adaptations
  • migration
  • populations
  • distribution
  • ecosystems

Food

Q. What do monarch butterflies eat?

A. Adult butterflies eat nectar and water. Sometimes liquid from fruits. Larvae eat only milkweed.