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Butterfly Essentials

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These are all the must-haves for raising butterflies.
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Butterfly Supplies

These are my must-haves for raising and rescuing butterflies. I also included some of my favorite teaching tools.
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
This is my absolute favorite enclosure for housing butterflies and caterpillars with a host or nectar plant inside. Predators cannot get in. The holes are too small even for ants to get in. It also gives room for a bit of flight for housing injured b...
RESTCLOUD 36" Large Monarch Butterfly Habitat
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
Spray bottles with a fine mist are needed to rinse off the butterfly and your plants.
Spray Bottle
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
This is an easy starter kit. It even comes with rebate for painted ladies.
Butterfly Kits with Live Caterpillars
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
This came with a lot of the things that we ended up using for our butterflies amd caterpillars like a small pop-up cage, net and book.
Insect Collector's Backpack Kit
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
These are all quality cage options.
Butterfly Cages
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
We experienced NPV while raising gulf fritillaries. It came from passionflower at the nursery. I would never buy live passionflower for my gulfies again after that experience. This powdered artificial diet is a good alternative.
Passion Vine Butterfly (Gulf Fritillary, Julia, Zebra ) Artificial ...
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
Toothpicks are necessary when you need to helo a butterfly unfurl it's probiscus to feed. It is also the perfect size to poke holes in fruit so butterflies can drink.
Toothpick
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
Place a layer of these in a very shallow dish with some water so the butterflies can drink while having a safe place to stand.
Aquarium Marbles
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
This is the perfect depth for making a buterfly watering station. Add glass aquarium stones so they have a spot to stand and drink.
Glass Candle Plate
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
Sometimes when a butterfly is having trouble feeding, it will use a cotton swab dipped in nectar solution.
Organyc 100% Certified Organic Cotton Swabs ...
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
These are my favorite pots for getting lots of nectar plants inside the enclosure. They stack neatly and hold 2" planters perfectly.
14-in. Plastic Stackable 3-Pot Planters
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
This is the plate I use for water with aquarium stones.
Luminessense Glass Plate Candleholders, 6 in.
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
I add these to the candle tray for the butterflies to stand on while drinking
Multi-Toned River Pebbles, 32 oz.
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
These are the perfect size for holding oranges and fruits
7" 6pk Plastic Divided Kids' Dinner Plates - Pillowfort
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
The butterflies seem to like these sponges best. They are soft and a good spot for drinking honey nectar. Cut the sponge in thirds to minimize the risk of a butterfly getting too sticky.
Ocelo Sponges Pack

Butterfly Lesson Teaching Tools

There are tons of amazing tools for teaching students about the life cycle or to do more in-depth studies for older students. I love these resources for lower grades.
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
These are fantastic for getting a close-up look at real specimens
Excellerations® Insect Life Cycle Specimens - Set of 5
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
If you are teaching butterfly science to your younger kids, this is a great tool.
Giant Magnetic Butterfly Life Cycle
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
These manipulatives help little ones understand the butterfly life cycle without having to handle the insect.
Insect Lore Products Animal Study, Live Butterfly ...
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
This is great for preschool and early elementary.
From Caterpillar to Butterfly Big Book Activity Kit
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
This is a great Outschool class for elementary school if you are raising butterflies.
Butterfly Life Cycle (Flex)
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
This is a great way for students to observe living specimens without handling them.
Super-Safe Specimen Viewers
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
I absolutely love this little hands-on set.
Life Cycle Sequencing Kit
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
If your child loves puzzles, this is the way to go.
Really Good Stuff® Life Cycle Puzzles - 5 puzzles
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
Beautiful book!
What's Inside a Caterpillar Cocoon? And Other Questions About Moths & Butterflies
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
Nat Geo made a series of easy readers for earlier grades to learn about metamorphosis.
Caterpillar to Butterfly by Laura Marsh
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
This is another great Nat Geo book on butterfly migrations.
Great Migrations by Elizabeth Carney
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
A microscope is a must for checking butterflies and plants for OE infection. It is also realy neat to look at the scales under a microscope.
Handheld / Pocket Microscopes
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
Cute for learning different species.
Melissa and Doug Butterfly Puzzle
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
This adorable book teaches about the way butterflies and other insects camoflauge.
Ruth Heller's How To Hide A Butterfly & Other Insects
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
I always love DK books. This pop-up book gollows the life cycle from egg to butterfly.
Pop-up Peekaboo! Butterfly - By Dk (board Book)
 
Julie Bellitt profile picture
This book introduces different moths and butterflies to younger children.
Smithsonian Kids Butterflies and Moths - by Rose Nestling ...