Grow your Own Butterfly kits are a popular way to observe the life cycle of a butterfly up close and personal. These kits provide everything you need to raise a butterfly, from caterpillars to food and habitat. The process is both educational and entertaining, as children can watch the caterpillars grow and develop into beautiful butterflies.
Additionally, grow your own butterfly kits are a great way to teach children about the importance of conservation and the role that butterflies play in our ecosystem.
In this article, we will take a closer look at butterfly kits and provide tips on how to choose the best one for your needs. Butterfly kits can be a wonderful gift for kids. Or, you can raise butterflies to release into your garden to help pollinate plants.
1/ When choosing a grow-your-own butterfly kit, there are a few factors to consider to ensure that it fits your needs. First, consider the species of butterfly you want to raise, as different butterfly kits may offer different species options.
2/ Additionally, think about the number of caterpillars you want to raise and the size of the enclosure needed to accommodate them.
3/ Make sure the kit comes with all necessary supplies, including food, habitat, and instructions on how to care for your caterpillars. You may also want to look for a kit that offers a guarantee of the live arrival of the caterpillars.
4/ Lastly, consider the overall quality of the kit and the company’s reputation for customer service. By taking these factors into account, you can choose the best butterfly kit for your needs and ensure a successful and enjoyable experience raising your own butterflies.
Here we will take a look at the top 9 butterfly kits currently for sale and compare them. Descriptions of the kits, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each one, will help you make an informed choice.
The Insect Lore butterfly kit is one of the most popular caterpillar-to-butterfly kits on the market. The kit comes with all the equipment you need to get started raising caterpillars. You get a large terrarium/habitat, a feeding dropper, and instructions.
This kit is also STEM-approved for people interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The kit doesn’t have live caterpillars; however, there is a voucher to order these for free separately.
This complete caterpillar-to-butterfly growing kit has a pop-up tubular mesh habitat. As with most of the top Grow your own Butterfly kits, easy-to-follow instructions are included.
There are no caterpillars included; however, the package includes a 50% off coupon. Or, you could look in your yard for caterpillars to raise in the habitat.
This “cup of caterpillars” is a small kit that includes five baby caterpillars. The grubs are shipped along with food for safe transit.
Along with the plastic container and caterpillars, you get a deluxe log for a chrysalis station where the chrysalises hang during metamorphosis.
The kit doesn’t include the mesh habitat. So, you either have to release them straight into your garden or already have a terrarium.
Insect Lore is a top Amazon seller, and this butterfly kit contains all you need to get started. The kit includes five painted lady caterpillars, a tent-type pop-up habitat, a clear viewing panel, and a butterfly feeder.
You also get a cool chrysalis station to observe the hanging pupae before the butterflies emerge.
One of the best caterpillars to butterfly kits is this one by Nature Gift Store. The package comes complete with a large 18-inch (45 cm) mesh terrarium, ten baby lady painted caterpillars, detailed instructions, and a butterfly feeder.
The pop-up mesh cage is ideal for storing when not in use and gives plenty of room for Painted lady butterflies to flutter around in.
This top-rated butterfly kit with a terrarium is another excellent choice for observing caterpillars turning into butterflies. The mesh terrarium has a clear vinyl panel to see the flying insects.
Also, the terrarium is one of the largest on this review—a massive 2 feet (60 cm) tall. So, plenty of room for butterflies to fly around. The kit doesn’t come with live caterpillars, but a 50%-off coupon is included to buy caterpillars.
Another complete caterpillar-butterfly kit to observe these fascinating insects. The kit includes five caterpillars, a mesh pop-up terrarium, feeder, instructions, and a chrysalis station log.
Due to the popularity of the classic children’s book, this kit could be an exciting gift for a child.
This butterfly kit contains one of the best-looking mesh habitats in this review. The dome-shaped terrarium has a decorative vine inside for the cocoons to hang from. Included in the kit are a magnifying glass, vine, base cap with a sponge, and educational poster.
Unfortunately, the product doesn’t get great reviews because of poor design.
This grow your own butterfly kit is designed as a starter kit to get small children interested in the world of butterflies. The small terrarium is large enough for five butterflies, and there’s a small opening in the sides for easy access.
The kit comes with a magnifying glass, chrysalis log station, and activity guide. You have to order the butterflies separately and pay for shipping.
Buying a high-quality Grow Your Own Butterfly kit is the perfect way to get your kids interested in science. The durable mesh terrariums provide the ideal habitat for caterpillars to grow into beautiful butterflies. The transformation from bug to butterfly is a great educational experience for children and adults alike.
However, butterfly kits aren’t just for educational purposes. You can raise butterflies at home to release into your garden. Many gardeners do this because butterflies are excellent pollinators. Or, from an ecological perspective—there is a decline in butterfly populations. So, raising butterflies at home to release outdoors is a great way to do something for the environment.
Many butterfly kits are sold with live caterpillars. Because of this, you should only order butterfly kits when the temperature is over 40°F (4°C) and below 85°F (29°C). Some suppliers hold off sending live butterflies until the weather warms up.
Others put the responsibility on the buyer to ensure that conditions are right to send live insects through the mail.
Generally, it takes between five and 21 days for caterpillars to change into butterflies. The length of time depends on various factors such as species of caterpillar, environment, and outdoor temperature.
During this time, the caterpillar goes through a complete metamorphosis. After the transformation, the ugly grub emerges from the chrysalis as a beautiful butterfly or moth.
Weather conditions generally determine when the best time to release butterflies is. Release butterflies into your garden when the temperature is between 60°F and 65°F (16°C – 18°C), the sun is shining, and there’s no wind. If the butterflies are a day old, then some slight rain won’t hurt them.
If conditions aren’t right for releasing butterflies, keep them indoors in the mesh terrarium and feed them regularly.
Growing the right plants in your garden is the best way to encourage butterflies to continue breeding in your garden. Some excellent plants to attract butterflies are nettles, cabbage, and various type of grasses.
Also, butterflies feed on nectar, so you should grow brightly colored flowering plants and make sure that there are sheltered spots in your backyard.
You don’t need a butterfly house to help butterflies hibernate over the winter. Most species of butterflies prefer overwintering in shaded forests, away from open gardens and yards. Of course, there is nothing wrong with having a butterfly house in your garden—it may work. However, the best way to attract butterflies is by growing the right type of plants, providing food sources, and sheltered areas in sunny spots.
