Caterpillars/Butterfly Questions

When you transfer your chrysalides from the cup to the habitat, it is of utmost importance that you gently remove any silk or frass that may surround the chrysalides. If the silk and frass is not removed at this time, your butterfly may actually become entangled in the silk when it emerges from the chrysalis. This entanglement may result in deformed wings.

All insects are coldblooded, unlike birds and mammals that maintain a constant high temperature. A butterfly vibrates its wings to increase the metabolic rate within its thoracic (wing) muscles. This activity warms the wing muscles, enabling the butterfly to fly away at a moment’s notice!

It takes about an hour for the butterfly's wings to fully form and harden.

The butterfly feeds upon nectar with its elongated proboscis. The proboscis acts as a tube through which the butterfly sips its food. The proboscis remains curled up until it is time to eat.

Butterflies love to feed on the nectar of flowers. They also love to feed on slices of oranges, apples and any other type of fruit. And, of course, your butterflies will feed on the sugar water you will place in their habitat!

It may look like your butterfly only has four legs, but it really has six! The last set of your butterfly’s legs is tucked up high on the thorax and is very easily overlooked.

The undersides of your Painted Lady Butterfly wings are “marble-coloured”, which provides the butterflies with a natural camouflage from predators. When the butterflies open their wings, they exhibit the gorgeous orange, brown and black colours the Painted Lady is known for. These bright colours are also a warning to predators.

Because of their egg mass, females have a larger, more rounded abdomen than males. Look at your butterflies from above. The male butterfly’s abdomen has straight sides, while the female’s abdomen is curved.

Like all insects, butterflies are cold-blooded. On cooler days, butterflies must warm their flight muscles in a sunny spot before they can fly. If a butterfly has to sit still for long, it may be vulnerable to a predator.

Release your butterflies when daytime temperatures are at least 12 degree Celsius. Butterflies need this warmth to fly, feed, mate and pollinate.

Release your butterflies in a dry spell, or in a sheltered spot such as under a tree or shrub.

In nature they have to cope with these conditions and will naturally seek shelter.

You can release the butterfly under a shrub for some protection, where it can still crawl around, feed and mate, alternatively keep it in the habitat for the duration of its life.  Make the habitat homely with some twigs and flowers to crawl up and hide behind and feed the butterfly nectar or fresh fruit.  It may live anything from a few days to a couple of months.

If you have hatched both male and female butterflies, chances are they will mate and lay eggs if you do not release them within the recommended time. Insect Lore recommends that you release your butterflies within 3 days of emergence. Your butterflies would likely lay too many eggs for you to take care of.

Insect Lore recommends that you release your butterflies well before they start to lay eggs (within 4 days after emergence). If your butterflies do lay eggs, place the eggs outdoors near any plant life. Caterpillars will hatch from the eggs and it would be a big job to take care of that many caterpillars!

The new caterpillars might find this food objectionable as it has been contaminated by the prior residents’ frass and nitrogenous waste (urine). Insect Lore does not recommend that you reuse this food once the original caterpillars have pupated.

Adult butterflies typically live for 2 to 4 weeks during the warm parts of the year. During that time, they will feed, mate, lay eggs, and begin the amazing butterfly life cycle, or metamorphosis, all over again!

Yes! You can order more caterpillars by purchasing an Insect Lore refill Cup of Caterpillars here.

Fill a small tub or sink with warm water and add a drop of mild washing up liquid. Swish the habitat in the soapy water. Rinse. Hang the habitat to dry and it will be ready for more caterpillar friends!