Butterfly Kits

 

Live native Western Australian butterflies are not available for purchase. As an alternative, live Monarch butterfly life-cycle kits and chrysalis kits can be purchased (and sent by post) from the following suppliers.

 

 

Mini Beast Bug Shop (Perth, WA)

Webpage: http://minibeastsbugshop.com.au

Email: butterflydreamsperth@outlook.com

Mobile: 0411 525 553

Recommended by SCPS

 

 

Butterfly Encounters (Brisbane, Qld)

Webpage: http://www.butterflyencounters.com.au

Email:  ross@butterflyencounters.com.au

Phone: 07 3378 1187

 

 

Butterfly Adventures (Melbourne, Vic)

Webpage: https://www.butterflyadventures.com.au

Email: info@butterflyadventures.com.au

Phone: 0430 229 525

 

 

Bug Shop (Sydney, NSW)

Webpage: https://bugshop.com.au

Email: bugme@butterflyskye.com.au

 

 

Why not try making your own enclosure out of recycled materials. This enclosure was made at

South Coogee Primary School from an old upturned bedside table and tent purchased at the Salvos.

 

 

 

Raising Monarch Butterflies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

•  Keep the eggs in an enclosure. They will normally hatch into caterpillars in 3-4 days.

 

• Monarch caterpillars only eat milkweed. Take cuttings of the plant and place the, in the enclosure.

 

• The caterpillars will immediately begin to feed on the leaves and its eggshell. 

 

• The caterpillars eat non-stop, so they produce a lot of droppings (frass). Newspaper or paper towel in the bottom of the enclosure will help in collecting the frass, which should be collected every 2-3 days.

 

• In the larvae stage, the caterpillars undergo five ‘instars’, which means they shed their skin around 5 times. At this stage, there is a chance of getting a bacterial and viral infection. If any of the caterpillars are affected or die, then remove them from the enclosure before it spreads to others.

 

• The caterpillar moves to the top of the container/plant to enter into the pupa stage by sticking there with a silken thread. 

 

• In this stage, the pupa will not consume food but remain idle for around 10 to 15 days, after which beautiful butterflies emerge.

 

• If the butterfly falls when emerging from the chrysalis, carefully pick it up by holding the thorax, and place it on the top or side of the cage. They need to hang with their wings pointed down. A pupa that has been very dark for more than a few days is dead.

 

• Butterflies shouldn't be handled for the first 4 or 5 hours after they emerge, and can be kept in the cage until the next day when they should be released. Butterflies can stay in the enclosure for up to 3 days. Hold the butterflies carefully with their wings closed when you release them, or simply open their cage to let them fly free.

 

• Keep the cage out of the sun or other hot places. High temperatures can kill the larvae and dry out the chrysalis resulting in a deformed butterfly.

 

• Prevent the caterpillars and chrysalis from drying out by spraying water mist from above onto the milkweed plants.

 

• Ensure the enclosure has good ventilation and is kept clean to minimise the growth of mould.

 

• The milkweed plants and the caterpillars are poisonous if ingested.

  

For more information on raising butterflies, watch the following five-part series:

Raising Monarchs Part 1 - Finding Eggs (How To Find Monarch Butterfly Eggs)

Raising Monarchs Part 2 - Hatching Eggs (How To Hatch Monarch Eggs)

Raising Monarchs Part 3 - Caring For Caterpillars (How To Raise Caterpillars)

Raising Monarchs Part 4 - The Chrysalis (How To Care For Monarch Butterfly Chrysalides)

Raising Monarchs Part 5 - Releasing Adults (How To Raise Monarch Butterflies)