What is a Butterfly Release?
Live butterflies make a unique alternative to releasing doves and throwing rice as has been the tradition at weddings and special events of the past. Beautiful butterflies will shine a new light on any special occasion resulting in colorful memories that will last a lifetime! We provide live Monarch butterflies and live Painted Lady butterflies, plus various sizes of baskets and each butterfly comes with a customizable envelope (included free). Butterfly releases are more than appropriate for: weddings, anniversaries, memorials, hospice, Easter Sunday, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Mothers Day, sweet 16 parties, ceremonies, Corporate events, funerals, and much more!

How Soon Should I Order Live Butterflies for my Event?
We allow our customers to order up to a year in advance. Otherwise, 30 days advanced notice is customary for Painted Lady butterflies and 14 days for Monarch butterflies.

What if I Have a Last Minute Rush Order?
Even if you event is only couple of days off call us and we may still be able to provide you with live butterflies on time.

Are There any Exceptions to Ordering in Advance?
Often there are unplanned events, like funerals, where advanced notice isn't possible. We are particularly sensitive to this type of circumstance and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

How Many Butterflies Will I Need?
It is typical to have one live butterfly for every two guests in attendance. However, some people prefer to use more live butterflies and some less.

Will the Butterflies be Shipped Carefully?
Every live butterfly is placed in an individual triangular envelope with their wings folded back in a relaxed position. Then they are placed in a foam insulated cooler box with a cooling pack and surrounded with padding. The darkness and cool environment keeps helps their survival rate enormously.

Is There a Guarantee of Quality or Timeliness?
We guarantee that your order will to be delivered the day before your event date. That's why we only use overnight air delivery. As to the quality, it is rare that a butterfly doesn't survive the journey, but just in case this happens a few extras are included with every order. The wings of our butterflies arrive in excellent condition, its when the butterfly wings get touched by human hands that they start to lose quality.

Will any of the Butterflies be Harmed by Shipping Them?
Occasionally a butterfly does not survive the journey. That's why we always include a few extra live butterflies, free of charge, with each order. However, the majority of the time 100% of the live butterflies will successfully complete their journey.

Where Will the Live Butterflies Come From?
If you are ordering live butterflies from East of the Rocky Mountains they will come from Florida, if you are West of the Rocky Mountains then they will be sent from California. Be assured that our butterflies are raised only by IBBA member breeders (butterflies which are raised in their natural environment and not in a warehouse). This ensures that they will be healthiest and most vibrant butterflies for release at your special event.

What Should I do in the Case of Bad Weather, Like Rain?
If you give us three days notice before the date of your event do to rain or weather too cold for butterflies to be safely released we can cancel your order and give you a full refund, minus the 10% cancellation fee. It is very important to us that live butterflies be released in proper weather.

Exactly How Long Will Live Butterflies Survive in an Envelope?
As long as the live butterflies are kept cool and in a dark place they can survive for several days, but if you leave them in the heat for even fifteen minutes many of them may not survive.

What are the Best Conditions for a Live Butterfly Release?
Releases should be scheduled during the daytime when the sun is out, or during overcast weather, but not when it is raining. Live butterflies should be released, at the latest, an hour or two before the sun sets to allow them time to acquire nectar and find a place to roost for the evening. The best temperature for the release of live Monarch butterflies is 62°F or higher, and for Painted Lady butterflies 72° F is required for them to take flight.

Why is Night a Bad Time to Release Live Butterflies?
Butterflies sleep at night and their wings are partially solar powered. So if you release them at night they will not be able to fly to a proper resting place.

What's the Easiest Way to Photograph a Live Butterfly Release?
Their are two main ways to get good butterfly release photography. The first, and most common, is for the photographer to be ready before the butterflies are released and often you can get an even better effect if all of your guests that release the butterflies are standing close together. The second method for getting great live butterfly photos is to save a few live butterfly envelopes just for the photographer to hand to your guests one at a time to release directly in front of the camera. (Keep in mind that the warmer a butterfly is the more likely they are going to fly. So if you want a butterfly to stay in place for a photograph make sure you take the butterfly envelopes straight out of the cooler box.)

What if I Have a Question That Isn't Already on Your F.A.Q.?
Please feel free to email us or call our toll free number 888-244-4059 if you have additional questions not covered here. If more than one person asks us the same question it will most likely be added to this list to keep our customers better informed.