keeping and raising caterpillars/butterflies

[Mouse]

so, because i cried hysterically for a while over the caterpillar i saw smooshed the other day, my parents have agreed to let me care for caterpillars/butterflies to kind of. console me. over it.

so, I have a 5g tank which i think would be ideal for the caterpillars, and a 10g which I would keep butterflies in?

i'm not sure about releasing them especially if i order the caterpillars and theyre not native to the area


so are thos tanks okay? or would i need bigger? food? housing? lifespan? types? where should I get them?

[Ann]

Jaser,

My honest opinion? I think keeping butterflies in a tank is cruel. Butterflies should be free.

Ann

[jordan]

How about planting a butterfly garden.  You can start with the following plant:

Veronica spicata 'White Icicle'
Common Name: White Icicle Veronica

This variety of veronica gets its name from the bright white candles of flowers it bears for months out of the summer. As durable as it is elegant, White Icicle is a wonderful addition to any sunny border or butterfly garden.

[Mouse]

The forms I've seen to order caterpillar eggs/caterpillers have suggested not releasing them. If I get them from outside, then I'd release them. But I doubt I'll be doing that. I don't want to screw around with whatever buggies or other butterflies are native to here by maybe releasing something here that'll compete with them.

There are large netted containers where I'd probably keep full grown ones. I know (because I did this in 2nd grade, haha) that caterpillars don't need much room, just lots to eat, and that you should move the cocoons into a larger tank with lots of sticks for them to hang off of and dry their wings off of when they come out. So either I'd move them into a big butterfly thing after that or skip the bigger tank and set it up for them in there while they're in the cocoons..

And then release them if they're native, or keep them if they're not. Which I wouldn't say is mean to the butterflies, especially since it'd be cool to breed them (let them lay eggs and stuff), which people obviously do successfully if you can order the things in the first place.

[J.R.E.]

Jaser,

 Here is some info you may find interesting :

 http://www.butterflyschool.org/teacher/raising.html


Ray

[Basquo]

I've caged caterpillars but always release the butterflies.  I suggest sticking to the ones that are native to your area.  Many nursuries will let you take caterpillars from their plants, or you could buy plants that you see eggs or caterpillars on already.  One of the greatest joys of raising caterpillars is letting them fly away after they come out and dry off.  I've been doing this for three years, with a lot of trial and error (including one crop of 84 monarch caterpillars, of which only three made it to fly away in the end.) Good luck, however you decide to do it!