Welcome To Our General FAQs
Welcome to our FAQ page, where we provide answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we receive about raising and releasing monarch butterflies. To help you find the information you need, we’ve organized our FAQs into specific categories related to our online store, products, and other services.
For more detailed information about each topic, be sure to visit our blog, where you’ll find a wealth of resources on butterfly care and conservation. And if you can’t find the answer you’re looking for, or have a question we haven’t addressed, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at info@monarchbutterflies.ca. We’re always happy to help!
- All
- Butterflies for Release
- Butterfly Raising Kits
- General FAQs
- Gift Shop & Accessories
- Milkweed Seeds
- Monarch Butterflies for Release
- Monarch Butterfly Kits
- Painted Lady Butterflies for Release
- Painted Lady Butterfly Raising Kits
- Payments
- Returns and Refunds
- Shipping
- Dedicate Butterflies for Release
In general, the season typically begins around the end of April and lasts until late September or, in some cases, early October. The exact timing can vary depending on regional weather conditions and climate variations during the year. Additionally, the start and end of the season may differ based on the specific type of insect you are raising or releasing, your location, local availability and more. To get more detailed information, visit the ordering page on our website and check the “Shipping Time” tab.
Attempting to ship caterpillar or release butterflies outside of this seasonal window can lead to serious problems. The insects may not survive due to cold temperatures, insufficient food sources in the wild, or other environmental challenges. Our shipping for some of our services starts in April and concludes by late September or early October to align with conditions that maximize the survival and well-being of the butterflies. After this period, we cannot fulfill orders, as we prioritize the health and safety of the insects by only shipping them during suitable weather conditions and also do not operate outside these timelines and close for the season.
You will receive a tracking number once we begin the shipment process for your order. If you placed an order in advance for a future delivery date, you will not receive a tracking number until we generate the shipping label. For example, if you ordered in February for a June delivery, the tracking number will be provided closer to the June shipping timeline, not in February or shortly afterward.
Before your order ships, you’ll receive an email notification—please check your spam or junk folder if you don’t see it. To ensure you receive all updates, add our email addresses, info@monarchbutterflies.ca and noreply@monarchbutterflies.ca, to your contacts. Tracking details will follow once your order is in transit.
If your school or organization blocks emails, consider the following steps:
Use an Alternative Email: If possible, use a personal email account that is not subject to your school’s or organization’s restrictions to communicate.
Contact IT Support: Reach out to your school or organization’s IT support team to inquire about the issue. They may be able to whitelist specific email addresses or domains.
Check Spam/Junk Folders: Sometimes, emails may be filtered into your spam or junk folder. Be sure to check there for any missed messages
Inform our Team: If you were expecting an important email, let the us know about the situation so our team members can consider alternative ways to reach you.
It is not recommended to place painted lady and monarchs in the same cage due to their different habitat preferences and dietary needs. Keeping different butterfly species together increases the risk of disease transmission and complicates their hatching, release and more, so it’s best to provide separate enclosures that cater to the specific needs of each species.
No, as long as your have a clean and suitable net cage you do not need to order one. As indicated on our website the option of adding a net cage is optional.
To proceed, please place a new order and select your desired payment method during the checkout process. Note that we are unable to send direct payment requests; therefore, a new order must be created to accommodate your payment preferences.
To learn more about our services and products, please visit the ordering page for the specific service or product you are interested in, as it contains a wealth of information. Here, you can find an FAQ section, detailed descriptions, helpful links, and much more. We encourage you to review this information to better understand our offerings.
To make changes to your order, please email our team with your order information at info@monarchbutterflies.ca. please note that all changes must be requested via email and cannot be processed over the phone. Once your request is received, a team member will respond accordingly to assist you further.
We are unable to provide shipping costs or rates via email or phone as they will vary based on your selections. Our team members via email or over the phone will provide you the following to best assist you.
To check shipping costs, including taxes and the price of the items ordered, simply add your desired items to your shopping cart and proceed to checkout. Before submitting your payment, you will see the total cost, including shipping, which may vary based on your selections, shipping region, and other factors.
Unfortunately, we’re unable to ship our butterfly kits or butterflies for release outside the time frames listed on our ordering page. For complete details, please refer to the “Shipping Time” tab on each product page. Shipping times are subject to availability, weather, and seasonal factors, and we’re unable to accommodate exceptions once our season has concluded or availability is limited. Please note that we are unable to ship between late October and early April. (This timeframe may vary by kit or product; please review the “Shipping Time” tab for specifics, as no exceptions can be made.) However, you are welcome to place an order in advance for the available shipping periods listed on each product’s ordering page.