Butterflies

[WImom]

Anyone know of a good place you can order a caterpillar for watching them turn into butterflies? Is that something places have locally too?

[daycare]

I bought a kit from target and inside was a voucher to a website to purchase them. I think I have the coupon code I can give it to you. It's normally $14.99 for the butterflies, but with the code it's $5

[Cat Herder]

I would check faunaclassifieds.com

Be sure to check out the board of inquiry on whatever seller you are thinking of buying from.

I have never not found what I was looking for there

Be nice to the Big Ole Meanie.... He rocks!

[DCMomOf3]

I've known two people who have purchased this with good results.

http://www.amazon.com/Insect-Lore-Li.../dp/B00000ISC5

[daycare]

the website is called summittoy.com the promo code to get the ten dollar discount is byspl. I just ordered mine online and it will take about 2-3 weeks to get them...

good luck and have fun.

[snbauser]

We order from insectlore every year and have always had great results.

[Danielle]

We don't pay for cats. lol We plant Milkweed and if the Monarchs don't come to us, we get them from a friends garden (which happens to be where the Milkweed came from). Her Milkweed is spreading like....well weeds. And last year, not including the ones she "adopted out", she raised about 60 Monarchs.

[momofsix]

Originally Posted by snbauser

We order from insectlore every year and have always had great results.

Same here

[SilverSabre25]

Originally Posted by Danielle

We don't pay for cats. lol We plant Milkweed and if the Monarchs don't come to use, we get them from a friends garden (which happens to be where the Milkweed came from). Her Milkweed is spreading like....well weeds. And last year, not including the ones she "adopted out", she raised about 60 Monarchs.

This is a really good way to do it; most of the "buy caterpillars to raise and release" seem to be the Painted Lady butterflies...and I've read that those are not really okay to be releasing as they aren't native. (Or something...I forget the exact reason I guess, but there was some reason why it's not really environmentally a good idea to be releasing the Painted Lady butterflies).

[Danielle]

Originally Posted by SilverSabre25

This is a really good way to do it; most of the "buy caterpillars to raise and release" seem to be the Painted Lady butterflies...and I've read that those are not really okay to be releasing as they aren't native. (Or something...I forget the exact reason I guess, but there was some reason why it's not really environmentally a good idea to be releasing the Painted Lady butterflies).

Not to mention the kids also get to see the whole cycle. We find the eggs under the leaves and watch the cats grow from being extremely tiny to big plump cats. And this year they are going to learn about the host plants...like how Milkweed is the only plant Monarchs will eat. Painted Ladies come with mush for them to eat. This fall we're also going to tag our Monarchs for the first time so we can track their migration later. I think I'm as excited if not more excited than the kids.

Last year we also found a Red Spotted Purple in it's chrysalis, brought it home, waited and watched it emerge and then released it. We also found a Luna Moth cat that started making it's cocoon before we got home. It's on my porch right now. It over wintered there. I can't wait for it to emerge.

we just found a fat green caterpillar and would love to watch it , but need instructions on what to feed it?