Instructions for a Successful Butterfly Release

All of our beautiful Monarch Butterflies are fed, misted and exercised prior to being placed in individual protective envelopes or boxes.  Butterflies require minimal care if released within a day or so of arrival.  They arrive ready to be released.  Should you need to transfer them into a mass release container, you will have separate instructions to help you.

When you receive your butterflies, as a precaution, please examine each Butterfly for damage that may have occurred during shipping.
To check butterflies packaged in glassine envelopes; hold each glassine envelope up to a light and look for movement, once you see the butterfly kick his little feet or wiggle his antennae you know that he is fine and you can go on to examine the next, after you have checked all the Butterflies and they have been return to the insulated shipping box, place the lid back on the box and place the box in a cool dark place until needed.
To check butterflies packaged in individual boxes; hold each butterfly box up to your ear and listen closely for the pitter patter of tiny feet, once you hear movement you know that the butterfly is fine and you may go on the check the next butterfly, after you have checked all the Butterflies and they have been return to the insulated shipping box, place the lid back on the box and place the box in a cool dark place until needed.
Should a butterfly escape, it will fly to a light source such as a window.  Pick up with folded wings and return to the envelope or box.

Your shipping container has been kept cool during the shipping process with ice packs.  If it is an unusually hot day or your home is not air conditioned, we ask that you locate the “ice pack” re-freeze it and return it to its secure position in the insulated shipping cooler. (sometimes the “ice pack is located under a false bottom in the insulated shipping box) After that, keep at room temperature in a cool and dark part of your house.

Always transport your butterflies in the shipping box with a cold pack and keep from heat, direct sunlight and direct exposure to airflow from heating and cooling vents.

When it is time for the release, allow the butterflies to warm up by taking your butterflies out of the shipping box for 15-30 minutes, depending upon the outside temperature.  Just bear in mind that the hotter it is, the less time they need to warm up—but in extremely hot weather, they could get overheated.  It needs to be at least 60° F. for Monarchs Butterflies to fly out of their container.

If it is cooler that the above-mentioned temperatures, you may warm up the butterflies (in their box) by warming the box in a warm car or a warm room, —never apply heat directly on the envelopes.  Just warm them up enough so there is movement and so that the box is warm.  Butterflies are cold blooded and need to be warm to fly.  THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT!

Inclement Weather

If it is raining, do not release your butterflies but wait until the rain stops.  A light mist is okay, though, as long as it is warm out.  If you cannot release them within 24 hours because of inclement weather, please feed your butterflies using pesticide-free flowers, or cotton balls soaked in Gatorade, or cotton balls soaked in 1 part sugar to 9 parts water.  Release your butterflies into a big box or container and make the container escape free by securing paper towels or netting over the top of the box.  Feed by placing “nectar-soaked” cotton balls on the floor of the container.  Also, lightly mist the butterflies through the netting several times a day or more if your house is dry because of heat or air conditioning.  If they do not immediately feed, you can teach them to nectar on the cotton balls.  Wait until a butterfly alights on an object with its wings closed.  Gently pick up the butterfly between two fingers and hold its legs on the drenched cotton ball for 10 seconds or until it unrolls its proboscis and begins to drink.  The butterfly tastes with its feet and drinks through this straw-like appendage.

Tips for your photographer
As always, we are certainly available to speak to your photographer about the best way to capture your butterfly release on film.  However, here are some specific techniques that should help.  Try to capture a specific moment and a specific butterfly.  Get as close to your subject as possible.  Do not try to capture the butterflies against the sky as it will be very difficult to see the butterflies in flight; they will appear very small and in some cases be impossible to see.  Since butterflies will fly towards bright objects, including flowers, wait for one to land and photograph it.  You may want to reserve a few butterflies specifically for photography purposes.  These can be placed in a refrigerator within their insulated box (not near the freezer) for about 20-30 minutes.  When you remove them from the refrigerator, they will be cool and will not fly for some time.  Carefully pick them up with wings folded between your second and third fingers.  Place them where you want them and shoot.  In the sun, the wings will act as solar panels and as they begin to warm up, they will become more active and will soon take flight.  Before that time, however, there should be time enough to take some pictures!

More Information and Special Instructions to Make your Butterfly Release perfect.
Please print out the instructions that you may need.

Instructions For Transferring Butterflies

Instructions For a Cool Weather Butterfly Release

Instructions For a Warm Weather Butterfly Release