What are the best weather conditions for a release?
Butterflies can be released in most weather conditions providing that they are released outdoors. If indoors, there should be provision made for them to escape to the outside. They also need to be released at least one hour before sunset, so they have sufficient time to find shelter for the night.

Are these releases safe for the environment?
Yes. Providing that the butterflies are released in suitable environments in which they are able to find shelter as well as host plants to help propagate existing butterfly colonies.

Is this harmful to the butterflies?
Not at all. Butterflies are packaged carefully and securely to ensure their safe arrival. When receiving your butterflies, you also receive a specific set of instructions in caring for their needs before they are released.

How many butterflies should I order?
This greatly depends on the size of your event or the amount of guests that will be participating. For an event consisting of 50 people, we recommend at least 1 per person. For larger groups it is standard to order 50 butterflies for 100 or more guests. Some people have ordered as many as 200 butterflies for attendances of congregations of up to 1500 followers, but most people order more or less depending on their preferences.

How soon should I place my order?
We ask that you give us at least 12 weeks’ notice to guarantee the availability of your order. We do understand that orders will occasionally come up at the last minute, or without a 12 weeks’ notice required, so we do make every effort to be able to fulfill these orders, depending on availability. We ask that you contact us before placing these orders to ensure availability.

How are the butterflies packaged? Are they harmed during shipment?
The butterflies are packaged carefully and securely, to ensure safe delivery and to prevent any harm coming to them. They are placed in individual envelopes, and packaged in an insulated box to keep them cool. As long as they are kept cool they will remain in a dormant stage, preventing any damage to come to them. It is essential that they stay cool while packaged. Instructions are provided for your convenience. Special indigenous hand crafted release boxes are also available at your request for the releasing of butterflies. Once the release is complete, the bride and groom have a beautiful treasure chest for treasured gifts, as a remembrance of this special occasion.

How do I care for my butterflies until the release?
You will receive your butterflies 1-2 days before your scheduled release. They will be packaged in individual envelopes inside an insulated box to ensure safe arrival. As soon as you receive your butterflies, place them in a cool and dark place. This will ensure that they will remain calm and dormant preventing their wings from becoming damaged. Remove them from the cool area 1-2 hours prior to the release so they can warm up. If you are having a mass release you can remove them from their individual envelopes at this time and put them in the release box. The transfer from the envelopes to the release box must be done carefully and quickly. Butterflies can feign death and then suddenly recover and take off. Be careful.

TIP: If you would like your butterflies to linger for a longer amount of time after releasing them, let them warm up for a shorter amount of time, approximately 30-45 minutes. After the release it will take a few minutes for their wings to warm up completely, so they will often fly onto the nearest surface, which could be your hand, shoulder or bouquet!