Most butterflies have a short life span, some species live around 12-20 days, but others might live as few as one or two days.

This makes butterfly farming an attractive option for small family owned farms in tropical forests around the world.

Most of the farms have enclosures in which they breed the species of butterflies that are native to their area. They feed the butterflies and protect them from predators, so they can develop and reproduce.

Once the butterflies mature, the farmers release a number of them back into the wild to keep their populations healthy. Because butterflies in the farm conditions do not fly long distances looking for food, shelter, or avoiding predators their wings are kept in great condition, and so once they expire naturally they are preserved and stored.  

We have a partnership with butterfly breeders from South America and support legal insect traders within the US who import butterflies species from all over the world.

These companies are highly regulated by the Fish and Wildlife Service - USFWS, which guarantees that all of the species used are not protected or endangered (NON-CITES species).