Butterfly life at home
Butterfly breeding is a fairly popular hobby today. With minimal effort, time and money, a caring owner can turn an ordinary apartment into a real tropical paradise - or even open a new business. These beautiful creatures are completely undemanding in terms of keeping conditions and can be bred anywhere - including the most exotic species.
Exotic species of butterflies are the most popular for home keeping
There is an opinion that, thanks to their exceptional unpretentiousness, butterflies can live even in the harshest conditions - and therefore live in all corners of the globe, with the exception, of course, of Antarctica.
Keeping butterflies at home is another reason for a good mood
What determines the lifespan of a butterfly in the wild?
The lifespan of any butterfly in nature depends, first of all, on the species and living conditions. For example, female butterflies belonging to the family of sacbiformes (or psyches) live for only a few days. Males often do not live even a day. This is due, first of all, to the fact that psyche butterflies cannot feed after crawling out of the pupa: their oral apparatus is completely reduced at the transformation stage. The only function available to them is reproduction, for which there is not much time left.
Bagworm butterflies live just over a day
Butterflies of the hawkmoth and silkworm families live a little longer: regardless of gender, their lifespan is about three days. Against this rather sad background, the familiar and hated by all gardeners cabbage plants, which can live up to twenty days, stand out favorably. The absolute record holders for life expectancy are urticaria, monarch butterflies - the lifespan of both of them reaches nine months in nature - as well as lemongrass, which do not die for a whole year.
Lemongrass holds the record for longest life expectancy among butterflies.
How long do butterflies live at home?
When keeping butterflies at home, their life expectancy increases sharply. First of all, this is due to the absence of natural enemies - birds, bats, dragonflies, ants and parasitic wasps. Proper care and maintaining comfortable climatic conditions allow even the most “hopeless” species to live for two to three weeks. More resilient species, which also include a number of tropical butterflies - for example, the families of tiger butterflies, Danidae and Swallowtails - can live up to several months. At the same time, they must be protected from drafts, sudden temperature changes, chemical substances, and also regularly fed with honey, sugar water or apricot nectar.
Care and maintenance significantly extends the lifespan of butterflies
Description of the family
Swallowtails or cavaliers (Papilionidae) united medium and large butterflies. The wingspan of the representatives of the family is 65-280 mm. Individuals with amazing body and wing dimensions live in the tropics. In Palearctic species, the wing pattern consists of black fields, bands and spots on a yellow or white background. Red and blue spots dilute the palette. The head is round, the eyes are faceted, naked. The antennae are short, club-shaped. Walking legs are well developed.
The front wings are triangular, the hind wings are oval. The outer edge is wavy, and many species have tail-like outgrowths. A characteristic feature of the family is that the hind wings have a notch, so they do not adhere to the abdomen. All butterflies are active during the day, in sunny weather. Most produce one generation per year, in the southern regions - two.
Interesting fact. The Apollo Hanington sailboat lives in the Himalayas at an altitude of 5-6 thousand meters above sea level.
All representatives of the sailboat family are divided into three subfamilies:
- Baroninae - consists of one relict species of Baronia, common in Mexico. This swallowtail butterfly in the photo is the oldest representative of club lepidopterans today.
- Parnassiinae - includes 8 genera and 480 species living in North America and Eurasia. Caterpillars are oliphages and monophages; their life is associated with a specific food plant. Among them: Apollo, Sericinmontela, Butanitis three-tailed swallowtail).
Butanis - Papilioninae is a large subfamily of 22 genera, most found in the tropics, the rest found everywhere. Large medium-sized butterflies are distinguished by a variety of wing colors. This group includes tailed butterflies, parides (tailless swallowtails), and teinopalpus - some of the most beautiful butterflies in the world.
Teinopalpus
The huge family of sailboats is divided into genera. One of them is Papilio or tail bearers. The group includes almost 200 species of butterflies, including swallowtail, Maaka swallowtails, zalmoxis, Alexanor, and Corsican. This genus includes the Antimach swallowtail, the largest butterfly on the African continent. Its wingspan is 20-23 cm. Unlike many species, males are larger than females, in some cases reaching 25 cm. The main background of the wings is orange or ocher, the pattern is formed by dark brown stripes and spots.
Sailboat antimah
Caterpillars
The larvae of the species are as diverse as the adults. They differ in size, color, and choice of food plants. But all swallowtail butterfly caterpillars have an interesting anatomical feature in common. They have an unusual organ - a fork-shaped sac-like gland. It is called the osmetry and is located in the prothoracic segment. In case of danger, the caterpillar puts out orange horns. A secretion with an unpleasant, pungent odor is released from the gland. The osmetry is used by early instar larvae. Adult caterpillars do not protrude the gland. Besides swallowtails, only the corydalis butterfly has a similar organ.
Swallowtail caterpillar
Distribution area
The swallowtail family lives throughout the world in 6 geographic areas. The largest specimens are found in the tropics. Sailfish can be found near the border of the Arctic Circle and high in the mountains.
How do they catch butterflies?
The first thing that comes to mind when the need arises to catch butterflies is, of course, a net. It is the main tool for catching these beautiful insects. At the same time, despite the apparent simplicity of its design, the net requires some skills when handling it. The body and wings of a carelessly caught butterfly can be severely damaged, which will give it a completely unmarketable appearance and make it useless for the collection.
The net is the most obvious tool for catching butterflies.
In turn, the net is also subject to a certain number of requirements from expert entomologists. First of all, before starting to catch butterflies, a knowledgeable user must decide on the length of the shaft. It depends directly on the place of capture and the average flight altitude of the target butterfly species above the ground. For example, hunting butterflies in the rainforest often requires the use of a net with a shaft three to four meters long. For such cases, many manufacturing companies create special nets with a telescopic, folding or plug shaft made of aluminum.
For convenience, many manufacturers make the nets collapsible
Technique for catching butterflies with a net
The first throw on a hunt is always the most important. In case of failure, the butterfly begins to act according to the standard scheme inherent in it at the level of instincts: it abruptly changes the direction of its flight, rushes around the hunter for a few seconds - and runs away in the opposite direction. Identical behavior is observed when attacked by birds and bats. These few seconds of throwing are the last chance for the catcher to catch the spotted beauty. In addition to what has already been said, it is worth following some tips:
You should approach the butterfly with extreme caution, trying not to cast shadows on it. These are very sensitive insects that instantly react to any changes around them.
- If a butterfly is seen sitting on a stone or tree trunk, you should approach it as quietly, slowly and carefully as possible, avoiding shadows falling on its eyes. These sensitive insects react sharply to any careless or sudden movement. Any careless movement can easily scare away the butterfly
- As soon as the catcher approaches the prey, he lifts the end of the net with one hand and with a sharp movement throws it over the butterfly.
The net should be cast sharply so that the butterfly does not have time to fly away. - If an insect is seen sitting on a sufficiently long flower, it is caught by throwing a net from the side.
It is more convenient to catch a butterfly sitting on a flower with a sharp jerk of the net to the side - Immediately after the butterfly has been caught, it is necessary to wrap the shaft to prevent it from escaping from the net. Then, carefully, avoiding sudden movements (to avoid accidental damage to the fragile wings), the butterfly is moved to the very end of the net and tightly grasped by the chest with two fingers.
If you don’t turn the net in time, the butterfly will definitely use its chance and fly away - The caught insect is placed in the stain for several minutes.
To make the butterfly behave calmer, you can place it in a stain for a few minutes - a special jar with a sleeping substance.
Additional means and tools for catching butterflies
A stain is a small container with a lid made of glass or plastic. The jar contains cotton wool, previously moistened with a sleeping substance.
Chloroform and ethyl acetate are most often used as soporific agents in stains.
In order to increase the efficiency of catching, butterfly hunters often use simple baits:
- rotten and overripe fruits;
- sugar syrup;
- various mixtures of honey, rum and sweet liqueurs and the like.
Molasses, made from a mixture of honey and rum, is the most effective bait for butterflies.
Such baits are used to coat areas of fences, trees, stones and similar objects that can cause the butterfly to temporarily freeze in a position convenient for the catcher. To catch moths, in addition to sweet mixtures, artificial light sources are also used.
Powerful quartz lamps that emit ultraviolet light are often used to catch moths.
Adviсe
- Caterpillars do not need to be watered. They get the necessary fluid from fresh, juicy leaves.
- If you are looking for a Monarch butterfly caterpillar, you will find it on a milkweed plant. Cut the stem because the caterpillar feeds on the stem, and then put the stem with the caterpillar in a container. This is usually a guarantee that you will not damage the track during transport.
- Try to find different caterpillars and raise them into amazing butterflies. Try looking for caterpillars that look like bird droppings. They are the size of an antenna, and when they grow and pupate, they turn into beautiful dark blue butterflies.
- Look for caterpillars in a variety of places, not just your yard. Look for them in the park, in the forest. Plus, this can be a great reason to go on a picnic with your family.
- Butterflies and moths are cold-blooded animals. This means that their temperature depends on the ambient temperature. In addition, they feed on nectar.
- The caterpillar may die, but don't be too upset. Raising caterpillars and butterflies requires a little practice and skill, mainly in choosing food and creating a habitat that is favorable to them. Find more information about the species of butterflies you are trying to raise to understand what is best for them. Remove dead caterpillars from the container in a timely manner so that the infection that could cause the death of the caterpillar does not infect others.
- Every 1-3 days, remove the caterpillar and replace old leaves with new ones. Then rinse them, leaving a few drops - this is a source of water for the caterpillars. If you notice that the caterpillar is eating more than usual, it means it is not getting enough nutrients, try giving it other leaves.
- Moths can live as long as they want in captivity because they do not need to migrate to feed. Despite this, it is still better to give them freedom, because their life is already very short.
Keeping and breeding butterflies at home
The most important thing to consider when breeding butterflies is the living conditions. Even though these beautiful insects are extremely unpretentious, creating favorable conditions will increase their lifespan significantly. To do this, you will need to create a special zone, the microclimate of which will be as close as possible to the butterfly’s natural habitat.
The most important thing when breeding butterflies is to create a separate area with ideal conditions for their living.
With due diligence and a careful approach, all your efforts can pay off handsomely, and a small hobby can grow into a full-fledged business.
Caterpillars and moths - where they live at home
Caterpillars and moths must be kept in special aquariums, also called insectariums. Their size should provide sufficient space for the bred butterflies to live a full life. Particularly large individuals may die if there is not enough space in the insectarium for them to fly fully. In addition to sufficient space, you will also have to take care of maintaining a comfortable level of humidity and temperature. Tropical butterflies require conditions close to the jungle zone:
- high humidity;
- heat;
- sufficient amount of feed;
- sufficient amount of free space.
In many pet stores today you can purchase heaters and humidifiers designed specifically for use in terrariums and insectariums.
Some nuances of keeping tropical butterfly caterpillars
If you plan to organize a full cycle of breeding tropical butterflies, you will also need to allocate additional space for a small greenhouse. It will be possible to grow tropical plants in it, which caterpillars of exotic butterflies feed on. Keeping the butterflies themselves is much simpler: to feed them, fruit from the supermarket and natural honey or apricot juice with sugar diluted in water will be enough.
It is imperative to place nails or twigs in the insectarium - you can even use card buttons, driving them into wooden parts. The caterpillars will place their cocoons on the ledges formed in this way, and, having transformed into a butterfly, they will dry their wings, hanging upside down. If these simple recommendations are neglected, the new butterfly will hardly be able to fly.
When organizing a full butterfly breeding cycle, it is necessary to create suitable conditions for the transformation of caterpillars
What is a butterfly garden and how to make it yourself
A homemade butterfly farm (also called a butterfly farm) is a memorable gift that will surprise a child and delight parents at an affordable price. Kids love to conduct experiments and become direct participants in them. Especially when it comes to observing living beings.
A real tropical fairy tale unfolds before the children - you can see with your own eyes the process of the appearance of a new butterfly. Those who are thinking not about a gift, but about a new business, should also consider the option of breeding exotic insects. The investment pays off quickly, and the process brings great pleasure.
Buy live butterflies in our store
Our online store offers you to buy real tropical butterflies at competitive prices in Moscow. Live butterflies for breeding and simply lifting your spirits are the best gift for any occasion.
Surprise your loved one by giving him a whole fireworks display of live butterflies
We also have not forgotten about true connoisseurs and collectors of this beauty: our decorative butterflies, spectacularly framed in a beautiful frame, will not leave indifferent even the most experienced entomologists who have visited all corners of the globe. By purchasing butterflies from us, you guarantee a good mood to any gift recipient.
Butterflies are an ideal way to create a good mood
Caterpillars
The main difference between the caterpillar, which will later become a butterfly, is the presence of three pairs of front legs. Caterpillars should not be handled as they may be injured. Therefore, in order to transfer the caterpillar to the place you need, you need to tear off the leaf on which it is located, and then move it with a cotton swab. To witness the entire transformation of such a pet, you can place it in some transparent container or three-liter jar. However, if you are going to raise domestic butterflies on a more professional level, you should purchase an aquarium that will act as an insectarium.
The bottom of the home of future butterflies can be covered with a small amount of napkins, and you also need to provide the caterpillar with the food leaves necessary for nutrition. The best leaves are those on which the caterpillar was found, and they should be changed quite often to avoid drying and rotting. To give the vegetation freshness for a longer period, you need to moisten the napkins using a spray bottle. To prevent escape, the glass container should be covered with a lid, after making holes in it.
When the caterpillar has grown to its maximum size, it stops feeding, gets rid of excess fluid with liquid excrement, and may also change its color - such actions indicate readiness for pupation.
Profitable business
Bumblebees are bred for the purpose of using them in agriculture as pollinators for many plants. A special effect is manifested when these flying insects are present in greenhouses. After pollination by bumblebees, an increase in yield is observed from five to fifty percent. In addition, fruits grown in this way have a higher taste.
Is the business of raising bumblebees profitable? Undoubtedly. In addition to increasing the yield of its own crops, the farm can earn a lot of money by selling families. The amount of profit will depend on production volumes.
