# Butterfly help



## potato matter (Dec 11, 2009)

Ok, I have finally got my massive outdoor butterfly enclosure setup. One problem though...heating! I am gonna start breeding some Monarch butterflies , but they like the warmth, i'm unable to run a powercord outdoors, so I was thinking of installing a solar panel on the roof of the enclosure and have it running to a heat light in one section of the cage so the butterflies have a warm section, maintained at 27 degrees celcius and a cooler section, all the host plants are going to be placed in the warm section to help the eggs. But i'm wondering if it would be safe to have a heat lght outdoors...anyone got any other ideas for heating???


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## bfg23 (Dec 11, 2009)

Got any pictures of the enclosure?

Sorry cant help on the heating side of things.


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## greeny1 (Dec 11, 2009)

that sounds so cool. please post some pics. sorry i cant help either but that enclosure sounds sick!


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## Chris1 (Dec 11, 2009)

u have some interesting hobbies fro a 15 yr old!!!

would love to see pix too, also sorry i cant help with heating!,.....


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## dtulip10 (Dec 11, 2009)

butterflys???? i have never heard of a out door butterfly enclosure.


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## greeny1 (Dec 11, 2009)

dtulip10 said:


> butterflys???? i have never heard of a out door butterfly enclosure.


 
ive only seen them in zoos and animal parks.


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## greeny1 (Dec 11, 2009)

do you need a licence for butterflies and do you have to by them from breeders? or can you just catch them to put in your enclosure?


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## potato matter (Dec 11, 2009)

lol, i'll go and get some pics soon.


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## naledge (Dec 11, 2009)

Put a beardy in it xD

There are some really beautiful butterflies around, I'd love to see pics when the colony's established.


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## potato matter (Dec 11, 2009)

thegreenies said:


> do you need a licence for butterflies and do you have to by them from breeders? or can you just catch them to put in your enclosure?


 
No, you don't need a license for butterflies, unless they are protected sp. like the Cairns Birdwing, but the Monarchs that i'm getting, no license is required. I am getting my butterfly eggs from butterfly Karma, but the person who has been helping me with all the info and technical stuff is Skye Blackburn, the only reason i'm not buying them from her is because she is all out of butterflies, soooooo many Xmas orders!!!


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## fritzi2009 (Dec 11, 2009)

speaking of butterflies, is anyone familiar with the butterfly house at melbourne zoo?
WELL me, mum, my sister, my cousin and my grandma went there and when we went into the butterfly house they started flying all around us and landing on us & because i hate things being to close to my face (i need my personal bubble) i was already annoyed but then something terrible happened..... one landed on my eye! and i totally freaked out and ran away, it was so embarassing haha. my mum is scared of moths and even she didnt freak out lol 

ps: im of no help to your problem , me sorry


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## potato matter (Dec 11, 2009)

naledge said:


> Put a beardy in it xD
> 
> There are some really beautiful butterflies around, I'd love to see pics when the colony's established.


 
The butterflies i'm breeding (Danaus Plexippus) are worth like $14ea. You can buy them online off various people for 12 for $170...I never really knew they were worth that much. Plus you gotta have milkweed, the butterflies hostplant otherwise they won't lay eggs, and apparently the adult butterflies love grape gatorade:lol:


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## potato matter (Dec 11, 2009)

I could only find pics of when the enclosure was being setup. They are pretty bad quality though.

 

 





But they are basically of the plants used for food etc, and the frame which the wire mesh is run over.


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## m.punja (Dec 11, 2009)

Interesting indeed. How long is their life and how easily do they breed?


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## potato matter (Dec 11, 2009)

This site explains their life cycle best :
WikiAnswers - How long do monarch butterflies live
And they are very hard to breed, it requires alot oftime and money, ence the price of the butterflies.


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## Chris1 (Dec 11, 2009)

very interesting link!! 

im wondering what people do with butterflies around christmas, u mentioned she was out of butterflies cos of christmas orders,.... 


thats a really cool idea!! make sure u post pix when its full of butterflies!


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## potato matter (Dec 11, 2009)

You would be suprised at how many butterflies people buy!!! They are really popular for weddings etc. They pay a ridiculous amount of money, then release them and watch them fly away, never to be seen again...


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## potato matter (Dec 11, 2009)

At the moment I have spent well over $100 on milkweed and alot more on monarch eggs. so I don't have any actual adult butterflies, just the catapillars. I'll post pics when I have some adults.


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## imalizard (Dec 11, 2009)

Im going to do what your doing aswell. But my butterfly house will be 3mx4m. If you had a larger butterfly house you could use clear plastic. That's my plan, the greenhouse stays nice and warm and would be perfect for them.

Have you seen this site? Im going to be buying from them...
Butterfly Encounters Pty Ltd.


EDIT: Does the butterfly house get enough sun?


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## potato matter (Dec 11, 2009)

It gets a perfect mix of shade and sun, just how the butterflies like it. It also gets a bit of wind, but not too much. How are you gonna do heating on yours???


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## potato matter (Dec 11, 2009)

Butterfly encounters is pretty good, but I like www.butterflyskye.com.au and www.butterflykarma.com.au


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## Kitah (Dec 11, 2009)

Awesome , didn't know you could keep them! I want these guys  Butterfly Encounters Pty Ltd. I often see them in my backyard!


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## potato matter (Dec 11, 2009)

xshadowx said:


> Awesome , didn't know you could keep them! I want these guys  Butterfly Encounters Pty Ltd. I often see them in my backyard!


 
Is it just me, or did that just link to the species info index???


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## Kitah (Dec 11, 2009)

Weird about that link, sorry! ... I like the Ulysses


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## potato matter (Dec 11, 2009)

I love Ulysses!!! In Queensland you have to be a licensed breeder to keep them.


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## potato matter (Dec 11, 2009)

I must say, I like the Cairns birdwing best though. If I can extend my enclosure, I plan to start breeding them, you need alot of room though!!!


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## imalizard (Dec 11, 2009)

I don't plan to heat it at all. Have you ever walked in a green house made of plastic? It quite warm, the thing i will need is cooling. Winter is a bit cooler but the monarch occurs naturally here so they can cope.

I don't understand why you need heating? With summer it should be fine. Unless you live in a cooler area?

My plan is to have rows of flowering plants such as status and have lots of milkweed. Also having a waterfall that will hit a rock before going into a pool. This will dampen the rock allowing the butterflies to drink. Two times a week I will put slightly rotten fruit for them to have along with sugar water once or twice a week. Just in case they aren't getting enough energy.

The walls will be made out of strong UV resistant plastic or perspex . The roof will be wire with removable plastic on top. If the temperature drops too low I put the plastic down and if it gets too hot it comes off.

Daniel


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## potato matter (Dec 11, 2009)

very nice plan, in summer it will be fine without heating, in winter my house gets down to 4 degrees, let alone the temperature outside!!!


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## richoman_3 (Dec 11, 2009)

omg i always dreamed of having one of these !!!!!!!!!!!!


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## imalizard (Dec 11, 2009)

How many are you planing on keeping? I wouldn't put too many in there, you could always make it bigger though.

I don't think putting a heatlight would be a good idea. In winter maybe bring them indoors in a heated room? Or wrap the cage in plastic?


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## potato matter (Dec 11, 2009)

imalizard said:


> How many are you planing on keeping? I wouldn't put too many in there, you could always make it bigger though.
> 
> I don't think putting a heatlight would be a good idea. In winter maybe bring them indoors in a heated room? Or wrap the cage in plastic?


 
It's not a very big enclosure, only 3m long and 1m wide, and 3m tall. So i'm nonly planning to keep about 10. If all goes well, i'll be extending it soon though.


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## potato matter (Dec 13, 2009)

Good news...and bad news...

THE BAD NEWS - My old small cage was getting quite unstable, so i had to pull it down :cry:

THE GOOD NEWS - I am building a new stronger enclosure 3 times bigger than my current one!!!


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