Warm Weather & Cold Weather Release

Congratulations on your purchase of Ready to Release Butterflies. We know you’re eager and excited to explore this box and maybe have a peek at your butterflies, but first we ask that you carefully read these few but valuable instructions.

Butterflies are shipped in a cool and dark container to mimic a hibernation like state. This provides the safest and most humane method to ship butterflies, a technique used throughout the world. 

When your butterflies first arrive, safely inspect your package to ensure there is no physical damage to the package. Please take pictures of any damage you may notice. 

Once inspected, open your package. Inside, you’ll find a corrugated box containing an insulated container. Unzip the insulated container to reveal a box within, surrounded by ice packs. The ice packs will likely have thawed out; please place them in your freezer. The box within, containing the butterflies, should be placed in the fridge. 

Approximately 30 minutes prior to your planned release, remove the box containing the butterflies from the fridge and place the box in room temperature. As the box returns to room temperature, the butterflies will awaken from their hibernation-like state, making them ready for release. 

In the event you are traveling with your butterflies before release, the ice packs from your freezer will be needed to maintain their temperature until approximately 30 minutes before their release. 

You will notice that within the box containing the butterflies, each butterfly is individually packaged in a triangular container. Within the triangular container, you will find a triangular paper envelope, containing the butterfly. This method is used to safely ship butterflies, and allows for the individual release of each butterfly if desired. 

For mass butterfly release, please review our blog entry on Mass Butterfly Release, where we provide in depth details. 

Each butterfly provided has been carefully fed, misted, and exercised before being placed in an individual protective envelope box. Butterflies require minimal care if released within a day or so of arrival. They arrive ready to be released. 

To learn how to feed your butterflies, check out our document detailing butterfly care and feeding instructions. Release of your butterflies is weather dependent. The optimal temperature range for butterfly release is 17 degrees Celsius and up. Colder temperature release is possible and safe, however, you will have to ensure the butterflies are in an environment of at least 20 degrees Celsius prior to release. 

You will know your butterflies are awake and ready to be released when you hear scratching and movement sounds. Although not common, if any triangular container does not have these sounds, place the triangular container aside and carefully inspect it prior to handing it out.

Now that you have warmed up your butterflies, pass out the triangular containers to everyone involved in the release. Optionally, feel free to visit our blog where there are several poems and release readings you may use. 

To release the butterflies, release the rubber band from the top of the triangular container, and within this container you will find another triangular paper container. Unfold the corners of this triangle and the butterfly will reveal itself. 

If the butterfly is warm enough, it will instantly take flight. If it still needs to warm up, it may sit on your finger or bask in the sun until it has reached optimal temperature for flight. 

Please take note, in hotter temperatures, the butterflies require less time to warm up, however, in extremely hot weather, they could get overheated. 

Additional Cold Weather Release Instructions

If the outside temperature is less than 16 degrees Celsius or rainy, ensure your butterflies have been kept in a warm room (approximately 22 degrees Celsius) for as long as possible before release. 

If you are creating a ceremony or doing a reading before release, we recommend this is conducted within the warm room if possible. In certain circumstances, a space heater may be required to ensure the room temperature is at least 22 degrees Celsius.

Where there happens to be extreme wind or rain, it is strongly recommended that you either reschedule your event by a day or wait until the inclement weather has sufficiently passed.