Raising butterflies is an exciting experience for the whole family. When planning your project there are a few things you should keep in mind. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you have the BEST butterfly-raising experience possible:. Check out
Insect Lore has several live butterfly kits you can choose from for yourself and your family's butterfly-raising experience. But which kit is right for you? Here is a breakdown of each live kit we carry and what makes each of them unique. Butterfly
The scientific name of the Painted lady Butterfly is Vanessa Cardui. A group of butterflies is called a "swarm," "rabble," "kaleidoscope," or "flutter of butterflies." Painted Lady Butterflies are found almost everywhere! They are native to Europe, C
Insect Lore's Painted Lady butterfly-growing kits have been touching the lives of millions of children and families for over 50 years. Our kits offer children in the UK, Europe and the USA the opportunity to watch one of the marvels of nature as the
Please click here to view our Butterfly Kit Instructions.
No, we dispatch caterpillars March to mid-September each year. Outside of this time period it is just too cold for them. You can however pre-order outside of the caterpillar season. Please note that in order to ensure the survival of your caterpill
Approximately 3-5 weeks, depending on the time of year. At the start of the season in March and April, the cycle is generally around 5 weeks, this time reduces as the weather improves, at the height of summer the cycle can be as little as 3 weeks to
The entire butterfly project takes between 3-5 weeks to complete, but what will you witness during that time and what is Metamorphosis?. Metamorphosis is when an animal changes form dramatically two or more times during its life cycle. Butterflies h
Depending on the size of habitat you have, you may be able to add an extra Cup of Caterpillars to your order. Please see our recommendations below:. 30cm Tall Habitat: Up to 3 Cups of Caterpillars. 45cm Tall Habitat: Up to 4 Cups of Caterpillars. 60c
If you have ordered a Live kit or cup, then the cycle has already begun by the time we ship your order, and the caterpillars should be removed from the parcel as soon as possible after arrival.
Your caterpillars have arrived and you're ready to start your butterfly raising project!. Here are some important things to keep in mind as you are observing your caterpillars:. If you have any questions about your project, please reach out to your B
Your caterpillars may not move for the first day or two after arrival, this is perfectly normal. They are settling in after their journey and getting ready to moult. Silk webbing in the cup is a positive sign. If you have any concerns after 48hrs ha
Insect Lore ships live caterpillars. We do not offer live butterfly eggs.
The food in the bottom of the cup contains all of the nutrients, proteins and moisture the caterpillars need to grow into healthy Painted Lady Butterflies!. Although the ingredients are secret, we can confirm that the food does not contain nuts. In
During the production of transfer and capping the caterpillars in the cups, it may be possible that some are miscounted or escape. So whilst they strive to provide 5 in each cup, it cannot ever be guaranteed that this will always be the case, althoug
Sometimes condensation can appear in the pot if the cup has experienced a sudden change in temperature, this could have happened during transit. The moisture needs to be removed as soon as possible as the wet environment is not healthy for the caterp
Yes! You may handle your cup, but always be very gentle. Do not disturb the cup at all during the two days your caterpillars are pupating (changing into chrysalides). And never shake your cup of caterpillars!. Please Note: Do not remove the lid! -
This is one of our special caterpillars! During one of its moults it has lost a pigment and so appears the green/white colour! It will still emerge as a Painted Lady Butterfly along with the others.
It is a good sign if you see webbing in your cup of caterpillars. In nature, the webbing protects the caterpillars from many dangers. Caterpillars use the webbing to stick to their host plants, as the wind can easily blow them off the leaves. Cater
Like you, caterpillars need to rest and digest their food. But just wait! Your caterpillars will become more and more active as they eat the food at the bottom of the cup. During their cycle, your caterpillars will moult 4 times prior to hanging, t
Five times!. Your caterpillars will shed their exoskeletons four times while they are eating and growing. They shed once more after they have attached themselves to the lid of the cup, just before they pupate.
You might see little black balls at the bottom of the cup - they're actually little balls of cast-off caterpillar exoskeleton and this is normal!. Your caterpillars will moult five times before becoming chrysalides, you may even see the remains of th
Your caterpillars are shipped with more than enough food to develop into healthy butterflies. If the food appears to be running low, it is a sign that your caterpillars will be close to pupating. The caterpillars will also recycle their food but don
If your caterpillars turn red and begin to disintegrate, they have been infected with the bacteria, Seratia Marcescens. This bacterium occurs if condensation has been allowed to form in the cup. Please be sure to always keep your Cup of Caterpillars
Although not a common problem, mould can develop if condensation has occurred either during transit or in the home/school. This is due to extreme temperature fluctuations. If your caterpillars are already in their “J” shape/at the chrysalis stage an
Your caterpillars will climb around exploring their cup, so may go up and down many times before they are ready to attach. When they have moulted 4 times and have grown to around 10 times their original size, they will then be ready to attach from th
It is the remains of the last exoskeleton shed by your caterpillar before pupating (changing into a chrysalis). This will normally drop off when the caterpillar wriggles while changing, but it does not cause any harm if it remains attached.
After a few days of observing your chrysalides, you might notice that they are changing colour. The chrysalides start out as a light tan colour with golden points. As the butterfly gets closer to emerging, the chrysalis will darken significantly, be
For 7 to 14 days, the chrysalides may look like they are resting peacefully, but an amazing transformation is taking place inside! The caterpillar parts are liquefying and re-arranging to become the cells, tissues, and organs of the butterfly. Durin
Your caterpillars are roughly the same age. This last caterpillar just might need a little more time to ingest enough nutrients to make the transformation. If you are still waiting for any large caterpillars to hang and your chrysalides have already
When you are ready to transfer the chrysalides over to the habitat (3 days after the last chrysalis in the cup has formed), gently scoop the fallen one out of the cup with a small spoon. Be sure to very gently remove all of the silk and frass surroun
Sometimes chrysalides form on the side or bottom of the cup. This tends to happen when a caterpillar knocks down other caterpillars on its way to the top of the cup. If the fallen caterpillars don’t have time to climb to the top again, they will fo
After 2-3 days your chrysalides should be fully formed. It is a good idea to wait until the last caterpillar that has formed into a chrysalis has hardened for at least 2 days before moving all the chrysalides over to their new airy home. If one cat
When you are ready to transfer your chrysalides over to their new home, ensure your habitat is placed somewhere away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Place a cloth or paper towel under the habitat prior to moving your chrysalides, to prevent an
Once all your caterpillars have formed their chrysalis on the cup lid and hardened for 3 days, you will need to transfer them over to the habitat using a Chrysalis Station or Log, this is a stand that the cup lid sits in. Each Cup of Caterpillars is
They’ve been in chrysalis for a long time - The butterflies normally emerge within 7 and 14 days, this can be extended in cooler months or if the habitat is placed in a cool area. Please allow your last chrysalis at least one week more from the firs
Your butterflies will expel a red liquid called meconium. This is a completely natural occurrence. Although it resembles blood to us, meconium is just the leftover part of the caterpillar that was not needed to make the butterfly. This is stored in t
Once your first butterfly emerges you can place food in the habitat. The butterfly feeds on nectar with its elongated proboscis. The proboscis acts as a tube through which the butterfly sips its food. The proboscis remains curled up until it is time
When you transfer your chrysalides from the cup to the habitat, it is of upmost importance that you gently remove any silk or frass that may surround the chrysalides. If the silk and frass are not removed at this time, your butterfly may actually bec
Your butterflies might not immediately fly around in their habitat. They will show off their flying abilities when it is time to release them!
All insects are coldblooded, unlike birds and mammals that maintain a constant high temperature. A butterfly vibrates its wings to increase the metabolic rate within its thoracic (wing) muscles. This activity warms the wing muscles, enabling the but
You may release your butterflies as early as an hour after emergence, or if you wish to observe them we advise no longer than 3 days. Please look ahead at your local weather so you can plan for the best time to let them go.
Adult butterflies typically live for 2 to 4 weeks during the warm parts of the year. During that time, they will feed, mate, lay eggs, and begin the amazing butterfly life cycle, or metamorphosis, all over again!
If you have hatched both male and female butterflies, chances are they will mate and lay eggs if you do not release them within the recommended time. Insect Lore recommends that you release your butterflies within 3 days of emergence. Your butterfli
Yes!. Fill a small tub or sink with warm water and add a drop of washing-up liquid. Collapse the habitat and swish it in the soapy water and leave it to soak for 20 minutes, then rinse with cold water. Hang the habitat to dry and it will be ready fo
No, we only provide the Painted Lady Butterfly (Vanessa cardui). This species was specially chosen as is native to almost the entire world, is a great pollinator, and can also spin its own silk which is how the caterpillars manage to travel so well!
If you need to transport your butterflies prior to their release, you can transport them in the car in their Butterfly Habitat. Just be sure to keep them as steady as possible, either held carefully upright by a passenger, or placed on the floor of