How to release butterflies for a funeral - Day 3

1. Butterfly Release Course
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for Memorial and Funeral Professionals
Day Three
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2. T bl f Contents
Table of C t t
3. Decorating Ideas
4. Day of Release
5. Transferring Butterflies
7. Release Ideas
8. Butterfly Myths T th
8 B tt fl M th & Truths
13. Thank You!
(c) Association for Butterflies; Research, Conservation, Farming, and Gardening 2007
www.forbutterflies.org
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3. D
ti Ideas
Decorating Id
A screen display is ideal for butterflies. Add cut flowers, silk flowers, a fruit basket, or
ribbons for butterflies to sit on in the display. Butterflies need moisture in the air to
survive. Air conditioning and heating will dry out the air. Be sure to add water to the
display, from a living plant to spritzing them with water. Butterflies will nectar on
Gatorade, sugar water, or fruit. If you are keeping your butterflies in a display for several
hours, adding one or more of these items will help keep your butterflies healthy.
http://www.forbutterflies.org/choose-a-butterfly-farmer-or-butterfly-breeder/butterfly-farmersbutterfly-breeders/decorating-with-butterflies/
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(c) Association for Butterflies; Research, Conservation, Farming, and Gardening 2007
www.forbutterflies.org
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4. D
f Release
Day of R l
On the day of the release, the butterflies will be fine in the box in which they were shipped.
If you are going to hold an individual release, keep the butterflies cool until an hour or so
before the event. (You will need to take into consideration the outside temperature and
how fast they ill
h f t th will warm up i th
in those t
temps.) K
) Keep i mind th t you will want th t warm
in i d that
ill
t them to
up, ideally, to about 70 degrees. It is always advisable to designate a responsible person
who does not already have a job to do on the day of the event, to be in charge of butterfly
care and handling. Sometimes, a “butterfly attendant” is designated for this p p
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purpose.
If you are holding an individual release, the attendant can distribute the envelopes to the
chosen releasers. The envelopes are opened and the butterflies fly out. They don’t need
to be thrown….they will fly when they are ready. The guests can admire them and enjoy
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them as long as they can this way.
(c) Association for Butterflies; Research, Conservation, Farming, and Gardening 2007
www.forbutterflies.org

5. Transferring Butterflies
Transfer your butterflies in a cool dark room. A bright window to the side will attract any
butterflies that escape while you are transferring them. If any do escape, simply pick them
up and return them to the box! Just open the lid of your mass release box slightly and slip
your butterflies into th b
b tt fli i t the box.
If your release box is made in such a fashion that you can cut a hole in the bottom of the
container, 1/3 to 1/2 inch wide and 2 inches long, this opening will make it easy to slip
butterflies into the box without opening and closing the lid! After you have transferred
your butterflies, place a slip of paper over the opening and hold it in place with a piece of
clear tape if you wish. In most instances, the hole will not be noticed and does not need
to be covered.
(c) Association for Butterflies; Research, Conservation, Farming, and Gardening 2007
www.forbutterflies.org

6. Transferring Butterflies
(cont’d)
(cont d)
If you are holding a mass release, you will need to transfer the butterflies into the release
release
container while they are still cool. If you will be using a container that is not transparent,
where the sunlight would show through, then just transfer them into it about an hour or so
before the release. Be sure to keep the box in a shady undisturbed area. Do not place it
in direct sunlight, or they will overheat. You can also place a dark cloth over the container
to keep the butterflies inactive. Do not disturb the box until the time for the release. The
release container should not be moved often. If you have a release box that is an open
weave type, you will want to mist the butterflies at least twice an hour to keep them from
dehydrating. Flowers can be placed in a see-through container at the bottom, as long as
they have not been sprayed with insecticides. Watermelon slices can also be hidden in the
flowers and this will give the butterflies something to nectar on while confined.
(c) Association for Butterflies; Research, Conservation, Farming, and Gardening 2007
www.forbutterflies.org

7. R l
Release Id
Ideas
Your imagination is your limit.
Generally, for a funeral, the close immediate family will release the butterflies. For
memorials that are to be held outside, the butterflies can be released before the service.
,
The service takes place while the butterflies are flying around. To achieve this, a good
number of nectar plants are recommended for placement in the area to encourage the
butterflies to stay around.
One service had a large net to contain the butterflies and they were all released at once at
the end of the service. There is no given moment to release the butterflies for a funeral or
memorial. Some even incorporate the release into their message.
(c) Association for Butterflies; Research, Conservation, Farming, and Gardening 2007
www.forbutterflies.org

8. Butterfly Myths & Truths
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Myth – Most of the butterflies will arrive dead or not make it to the release
Truth – Only a few butterflies may not make it
Myth – You can color coordinate the butterflies to your bridesmaids’ dresses
Truth – Butterflies only come in a few different colors. There are no white butterflies that can be shipped across state
lines. The colors available range between black, browns, oranges and yellow mixes
Myth – Only half the butterflies will survive up to the time of the release
Truth – Your butterflies are handled and packed in such a way to protect them and to make sure that t ey will su e the
ut
ou butte es a e a d ed a d pac ed suc
ay p otect t e a d
a e su e t at they
survive t e
journey. Extra butterflies are usually included just in case a few do not survive.
Myth – They will not fly and people will step on them
Truth – Talk to your butterfly farmer. If the release is done properly, you will have a lovely release experience
Myth Butterfly l
M th – B tt fl releases are cruell t th b tt fl
to the butterfly
Truth – The butterflies are raised and handled with the best of care. They are only sent to environments where they occur
naturally. After a release, they will live the rest of their natural lives in the wild
Myth – The butterflies will get confused when released
Truth – Studies have been done to show that there are not ill effects to butterflies shipped across states. Monarch Watch
does a tagging program nationwide and has found commercially-raised butterflies that have successfully migrated to the
overwintering sites in Central Mexico.
Myth – The butterflies will have nothing to eat and will die
Truth – Speak to your butterfly farmer about the proper times to release butterflies. If they are released in the warmer
months, they will have plenty of nectar flowers, wild and cultivated for them to survive. You do not want to release them
in the winter! Use common sense!
(c) Association for Butterflies; Research, Conservation, Farming, and Gardening 2007
www.forbutterflies.org

9. Butterflies are Nature’s Gift to
the Environment
Butterflies
B tt fli are important pollinators
i
t t lli t
(c) Association for Butterflies 2007
www.forbutterflies.org

10. Butterflies are Part of
the Food Chain
(c) Association for Butterflies 2007
www.forbutterflies.org

11. By releasing butterflies one is
butterflies,
helping to repopulate the
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species without polluting,
harming defacing
h i or d f i nature
(c) Association for Butterflies 2007
www.forbutterflies.org

12. Butterflies are uplifting
and aesthetically pleasing
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Releasing b tt fli is
R l i butterflies i an ecologically
l i ll
sound way to celebrate any occasion
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(c) Association for Butterflies 2007
www.forbutterflies.org

13. Thank you for attending the Association For Butterflies’
Butterfly Release Course for Funeral Professionals! We
hope you enjoyed the class and that you learned
everything you need to know about butterfly releases. W
thi
dt k
b t b tt fl l
We
welcome your comments and questions.
Happy releasing!
(c) Association for Butterflies 2007
www.forbutterflies.org