Frequenty Asked Questions
Once my order is placed online, how long until I receive my butterflies?
In the commercial we advertise 1-2 weeks; here's how that breaks down. Processing time is approximately 3-4 working days, delivery time is approximately 3-4 working days depending on your destination. The kits travel roughly for a couple of days.
What is the charge for shipping?
Standard shipping is �4.99, if you order only one butterfly kit. if you order any of the other special offers, it will be more to accommodate the larger shipment size and process and handling.
How long does the total butterfly life cycle take?
Approximately 3-6 weeks (7 to 10 days in the larval stage and 7 to 10 days in the pupal stage). This all depends on temperature. The process will be shorter in very warm weather and longer in cooler weather.
How long will the butterflies live?
Their normal life span as a butterfly is 2 to 4 weeks.
When should I release my butterflies?
Release your butterflies outside after a day or two of observation. They ideal daytime temperature is above 12 degrees Celcius.
My larvae arrived but aren't moving. Are they dead?
Probably not. They are very still in the first couple of days. They may be getting ready to shed their skin. Also, your caterpillars need to do a lot of eating to store up enough energy to change into butterflies. All this eating means that they also do a fair share of laying around, digesting! If you see no movement in one week, return them (along with your filled out Caterpillar Guarantee sent with each kit) for a replacement. Insect Lore guarantees that 3 of every 5 caterpillars will develop into perfect adult butterfly specimens!
Do the larvae have enough air?
Yes. Please notice the small air holes around the rims of the containers.
Can I remove the lid and play with the larvae?
No. Removing the lids could introduce bacteria to your caterpillars and their food source. Don't open the vials until your caterpillars form chrysalides, just to be on the safe side.
What are the "little brown balls" I see?
This is the caterpillar's "frass" or caterpillar poo.
What do I do after the chrysalids are formed?
Open the lid of the cup, remove the paper disk and pin it to the inside wall of the Butterfly Garden habitat.
If a chrysalid falls off the disk, what should I do?
Gently remove it from the cup using a spoon and lay the chrysalis in the bottom of the Garden on a napkin or paper towel.
Why are the chrysalids shaking?
This is a natural instinct to ward off predators.
What is the red liquid I see the butterflies extrete?
It is called meconium. It is the leftover colouring and tissues from the wing formation, and it's a natural part of the metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly. It is not blood.
What do I do if my butterflies lay eggs that hatch?
Hopefully you will have released them prior to the egg laying stage. But, if you've experienced inclement weather and were unable to do so, you may see eggs after a few days. These look like tiny green and light green onions. Young larvae like to eat thistle, hollyhock, fiddleneck & malva. Find some and place the larvae near the leaves, or the leaves near the larvae. Be sure that the plants haven't been sprayed with pesticides, however!
How do I clean my butterfly habitat before reusing it?
Just rinse the mesh with warm tap water - detergent or soap may be too strong for your next batch of inhabitants. Let it hang dry, and you're ready to use it again.
What is your guarantee?
We guarantee your satisfaction with the Live Butterfly Garden kit, and that your caterpillars will grow to become Painted Lady butterflies. If for any reason you are unsatisfied with your experience, or need a replacement of your caterpillars, simply email via the link at the bottom of this page.
The Live Butterfly Garden Experience: What to Expect
Your larvae will arrive with your Live Butterfly Garden� set. Each of the mailing containers will contain five small Painted lady butterfly caterpillars and adequate food for the caterpillars' development.
Expect the metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly to take approximately 3-6 weeks to complete.
Caring For Your Caterpillars
It is very important that you always keep your caterpillar containers upright, indoors and out of direct sunlight! Direct sunlight will cause the interior of the cups to heat up and condensation can form within the container. This water can often cause the caterpillars to sicken and die. To keep the nutrient clean, keep the lid on the container at all times. The larvae won't need anything other than the food provided inside the container.
A Fascinating Change
At a room temperature of 22C to 25C (72 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit), the caterpillars should take approximately 7 to 10 days to make the fascinating change into chrysalides. The caterpillars will climb to the top of the cup and hang down "head first." It is crucial that they not be disturbed at this point as this is their most vulnerable stage. Although this will seem to be a time of resting in the butterfly's development, it is really going to be a time of rapid change. Within the chrysalis, the old body parts of the caterpillar will undergo a remarkable transformation into the beautiful parts that will make up the butterfly.
Transferring Your Chrysalides Into Your Live Butterfly Garden® Habitat
When your chrysalides have formed, it will be time to put them into the observation habitat. The chrysalides will have attached themselves to the paper disk under the lid of the container.
First, you'll use a straight pin or safety pin to attach the disk to the inside of the habitat. Carefully open the container and remove the paper disk. Now pin the disk inside the habitat, a few inches above the floor of the habitat. If any of your chrysalides become detached from the disk, gently lay them on a napkin on the floor of the habitat. Chances are good they will still emerge as healthy butterflies.
If you're placing your Butterfly Garden� on a countertop, be sure it's in a place where it won't be knocked over. Hanging your habitat by its carrying handle is a good way to keep it safe from unexpected bumps and accidents.
The Birth Of A Butterfly
Approximately seven to ten days after the chrysalides form, your butterflies will begin to emerge as adults. The darker the chrysalis, the closer it is to emergence. You'll want to keep your eyes on them now as you may get to witness the birth of a butterfly! As a butterfly emerges, it will rest in a vertical position while pumping its wings to full size. The butterflies do this by forcing liquid under pressure into the veins of the wings. One to two hours after emergence, the wings will be full-sized and hardened, and the butterfly will be ready to fly.
Don't be alarmed if you see a red liquid which looks like blood coming from the tail end of the butterfly. This is called meconium. It's the left-over colour and unneeded tissues from the butterfly's wing formation.
Feeding, Observing, & Releasing
Feeding your butterflies will be fun! You can experiment to see which fruit they like best. Try cut oranges, apples or bananas to start. If the fruit dries out, scratch the surface of the fruit to cause the fruit juice to pool on the top, or replace with fresh fruit.
Alternatively, you can feed them nectar. To make the nectar, mix two teaspoons (10ml) of sugar into a cup of water (250ml) and stir. Using the enclosed pipette, squirt the nectar onto any flowers you may put into the hatching habitat Or, place a dish with kitchen roll or cotton balls saturated with the nectar into the hatching habitat. Sprinkle the sugar water mixture on the flowers or tissue balls every day and remember to keep the sugar water refrigerated between feedings.
Take time to observe the butterflies eating. You will see them unfurl their proboscis, drink the sugar water or fruit juice, then roll the proboscis back up. After observing your butterflies for a few days, and, if weather conditions permit, we recommend releasing them into their natural environment.
Once released, the butterflies can often be seen for several days in the vicinity of their release. Painted ladies live throughout most of the world so you can safely release them anywhere! They're migrating butterflies, so will fly to find the plants they prefer.
What is your Privacy Policy?
We subscribe to the tenets of the Online Privacy Alliance, and comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. Any and all information collected by livebutterflygarden.com will be kept strictly confidential and will not be sold, reused, rented, loaned, or otherwise disclosed. We mean it!
Any information you give to livebutterflygarden.com will be held with the utmost care, and will never be used in ways to which you have not consented.
Resale or disclosure of information to third parties:
Livebutterflygarden.co.uk does not sell, rent, loan, trade, or lease any personal information collected at our site, including membership forms or email lists.
Browser information collected on the website:
Livebutterflygarden.com analyzes our website logs to constantly improve the value of the materials available on our site. Our website logs are not personally identifiable, and we make no attempt to link them with the individuals who actually browse the site.
Privacy of your email address:
Livebutterflygarden.com does not sell, rent, loan, trade, or lease the addresses on our list to anyone.
Not finding the answer you're looking for?
Once my order is placed online, how long until I receive my butterflies?
In the commercial we advertise 1-2 weeks; here's how that breaks down. Processing time is approximately 3-4 working days, delivery time is approximately 3-4 working days depending on your destination. The kits travel roughly for a couple of days.
What is the charge for shipping?
Standard shipping is �4.99, if you order only one butterfly kit. if you order any of the other special offers, it will be more to accommodate the larger shipment size and process and handling.
How long does the total butterfly life cycle take?
Approximately 3-6 weeks (7 to 10 days in the larval stage and 7 to 10 days in the pupal stage). This all depends on temperature. The process will be shorter in very warm weather and longer in cooler weather.
How long will the butterflies live?
Their normal life span as a butterfly is 2 to 4 weeks.
When should I release my butterflies?
Release your butterflies outside after a day or two of observation. They ideal daytime temperature is above 12 degrees Celcius.
My larvae arrived but aren't moving. Are they dead?
Probably not. They are very still in the first couple of days. They may be getting ready to shed their skin. Also, your caterpillars need to do a lot of eating to store up enough energy to change into butterflies. All this eating means that they also do a fair share of laying around, digesting! If you see no movement in one week, return them (along with your filled out Caterpillar Guarantee sent with each kit) for a replacement. Insect Lore guarantees that 3 of every 5 caterpillars will develop into perfect adult butterfly specimens!
Do the larvae have enough air?
Yes. Please notice the small air holes around the rims of the containers.
Can I remove the lid and play with the larvae?
No. Removing the lids could introduce bacteria to your caterpillars and their food source. Don't open the vials until your caterpillars form chrysalides, just to be on the safe side.
What are the "little brown balls" I see?
This is the caterpillar's "frass" or caterpillar poo.
What do I do after the chrysalids are formed?
Open the lid of the cup, remove the paper disk and pin it to the inside wall of the Butterfly Garden habitat.
If a chrysalid falls off the disk, what should I do?
Gently remove it from the cup using a spoon and lay the chrysalis in the bottom of the Garden on a napkin or paper towel.
Why are the chrysalids shaking?
This is a natural instinct to ward off predators.
What is the red liquid I see the butterflies extrete?
It is called meconium. It is the leftover colouring and tissues from the wing formation, and it's a natural part of the metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly. It is not blood.
What do I do if my butterflies lay eggs that hatch?
Hopefully you will have released them prior to the egg laying stage. But, if you've experienced inclement weather and were unable to do so, you may see eggs after a few days. These look like tiny green and light green onions. Young larvae like to eat thistle, hollyhock, fiddleneck & malva. Find some and place the larvae near the leaves, or the leaves near the larvae. Be sure that the plants haven't been sprayed with pesticides, however!
How do I clean my butterfly habitat before reusing it?
Just rinse the mesh with warm tap water - detergent or soap may be too strong for your next batch of inhabitants. Let it hang dry, and you're ready to use it again.
What is your guarantee?
We guarantee your satisfaction with the Live Butterfly Garden kit, and that your caterpillars will grow to become Painted Lady butterflies. If for any reason you are unsatisfied with your experience, or need a replacement of your caterpillars, simply email via the link at the bottom of this page.
The Live Butterfly Garden Experience: What to Expect
Your larvae will arrive with your Live Butterfly Garden� set. Each of the mailing containers will contain five small Painted lady butterfly caterpillars and adequate food for the caterpillars' development.
Expect the metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly to take approximately 3-6 weeks to complete.
Caring For Your Caterpillars
It is very important that you always keep your caterpillar containers upright, indoors and out of direct sunlight! Direct sunlight will cause the interior of the cups to heat up and condensation can form within the container. This water can often cause the caterpillars to sicken and die. To keep the nutrient clean, keep the lid on the container at all times. The larvae won't need anything other than the food provided inside the container.
A Fascinating Change
At a room temperature of 22C to 25C (72 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit), the caterpillars should take approximately 7 to 10 days to make the fascinating change into chrysalides. The caterpillars will climb to the top of the cup and hang down "head first." It is crucial that they not be disturbed at this point as this is their most vulnerable stage. Although this will seem to be a time of resting in the butterfly's development, it is really going to be a time of rapid change. Within the chrysalis, the old body parts of the caterpillar will undergo a remarkable transformation into the beautiful parts that will make up the butterfly.
Transferring Your Chrysalides Into Your Live Butterfly Garden® Habitat
When your chrysalides have formed, it will be time to put them into the observation habitat. The chrysalides will have attached themselves to the paper disk under the lid of the container.
First, you'll use a straight pin or safety pin to attach the disk to the inside of the habitat. Carefully open the container and remove the paper disk. Now pin the disk inside the habitat, a few inches above the floor of the habitat. If any of your chrysalides become detached from the disk, gently lay them on a napkin on the floor of the habitat. Chances are good they will still emerge as healthy butterflies.
If you're placing your Butterfly Garden� on a countertop, be sure it's in a place where it won't be knocked over. Hanging your habitat by its carrying handle is a good way to keep it safe from unexpected bumps and accidents.
The Birth Of A Butterfly
Approximately seven to ten days after the chrysalides form, your butterflies will begin to emerge as adults. The darker the chrysalis, the closer it is to emergence. You'll want to keep your eyes on them now as you may get to witness the birth of a butterfly! As a butterfly emerges, it will rest in a vertical position while pumping its wings to full size. The butterflies do this by forcing liquid under pressure into the veins of the wings. One to two hours after emergence, the wings will be full-sized and hardened, and the butterfly will be ready to fly.
Don't be alarmed if you see a red liquid which looks like blood coming from the tail end of the butterfly. This is called meconium. It's the left-over colour and unneeded tissues from the butterfly's wing formation.
Feeding, Observing, & Releasing
Feeding your butterflies will be fun! You can experiment to see which fruit they like best. Try cut oranges, apples or bananas to start. If the fruit dries out, scratch the surface of the fruit to cause the fruit juice to pool on the top, or replace with fresh fruit.
Alternatively, you can feed them nectar. To make the nectar, mix two teaspoons (10ml) of sugar into a cup of water (250ml) and stir. Using the enclosed pipette, squirt the nectar onto any flowers you may put into the hatching habitat Or, place a dish with kitchen roll or cotton balls saturated with the nectar into the hatching habitat. Sprinkle the sugar water mixture on the flowers or tissue balls every day and remember to keep the sugar water refrigerated between feedings.
Take time to observe the butterflies eating. You will see them unfurl their proboscis, drink the sugar water or fruit juice, then roll the proboscis back up. After observing your butterflies for a few days, and, if weather conditions permit, we recommend releasing them into their natural environment.
Once released, the butterflies can often be seen for several days in the vicinity of their release. Painted ladies live throughout most of the world so you can safely release them anywhere! They're migrating butterflies, so will fly to find the plants they prefer.
What is your Privacy Policy?
We subscribe to the tenets of the Online Privacy Alliance, and comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. Any and all information collected by livebutterflygarden.com will be kept strictly confidential and will not be sold, reused, rented, loaned, or otherwise disclosed. We mean it!
Any information you give to livebutterflygarden.com will be held with the utmost care, and will never be used in ways to which you have not consented.
Resale or disclosure of information to third parties:
Livebutterflygarden.co.uk does not sell, rent, loan, trade, or lease any personal information collected at our site, including membership forms or email lists.
Browser information collected on the website:
Livebutterflygarden.com analyzes our website logs to constantly improve the value of the materials available on our site. Our website logs are not personally identifiable, and we make no attempt to link them with the individuals who actually browse the site.
Privacy of your email address:
Livebutterflygarden.com does not sell, rent, loan, trade, or lease the addresses on our list to anyone.