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Growing nectar & host plants
Growing nectar & host plants
For a butterfly farm to be effective and efficient it must understand and support the life-cycles of the particular butterflies it breeds. This begins with nectar plants for butterflies to feed on and host plants for them to lay eggs on and for the caterpillars to eat.
One of eight large enclosures at the butterfly farm providing shade & protection
Climbing and water loving host plants growing in a shade house
Breeding to produce eggs
Breeding to produce eggs
The space and temperature needed for breeding varies somewhat with the type of butterfly, but all need nectar and the right host plants. Only healthy breeding stock is used and in some cases eggs are treated for potential parasites and disease.
Monarch butterflies breeding
A gulf fritillary butterfly laying eggs
Caterpillars emerging from collected eggs
Feeding caterpillars to produce pupae
Feeding caterpillars to produce pupae
Caterpillars need to be protected and plenty of host plant food to turn into healthy chrysalis. Their rate of growth depends on the temperature, which means the timing can be tweaked for delivery requirements.
Protected caterpillars eating in enclosures
Queens eating milkweed (their only host plant)
Monarch chrysalis
Packing pupae & shipping overnight
Packing pupae & shipping overnight
After quality inspection, pupae are carefully packaged and then shipped with overnight delivery. All exhibits must provide proof of a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) 526 permit, before a shipment to them will be sent.
Pupae are sent with overnight delivery via FedEx
Avoiding predators, parasites, and diseases
Avoiding predators, parasites, and diseases
Keeping butterfly eggs, caterpillars, and pupae in enclosures helps protect them from natural predators like ants, wasps, and spiders, but avoiding parasites and diseases requires constant attention. Soil used to grow plants must be sterile, plants must be washed and inspected, and containers must be thoroughly cleaned after each use.
An experienced butterfly farm worker cleans enclosures before recycling them
Collaborating with fellow licensed breeders
Collaborating with fellow licensed breeders
The Metamorphosis Butterfly Farm owes much of its success to collaboration with other butterfly breeders. Sharing knowledge helps everyone become more effective, and sharing butterflies helps ensure diversity in the stock available.
The International Butterfly Breeders Association Visit (September, 2018)
The IBBA logo
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