Questions

Butterfly Release Company®: Excellence and Passion Since 2002

As a trusted butterfly breeder, Butterfly Release Company® has been shipping live butterflies across the United States since 2002. We cultivate our own specialized, farm-raised butterflies, ensuring exceptional quality control and allowing us to confidently guarantee the health and vitality of every butterfly we offer. Our approach enables us to provide the most competitive prices for butterflies online, while our commitment to proven best practices in care and shipping ensures your butterflies arrive safely and in excellent condition. Butterfly Release Company® is proud to be an 'Accredited Business' with an A plus Rating from the Better Business Bureau, distinguishing us as one of the few breeders who actively maintain membership with the BBB. We consider our work more than a job—it is a passion and a privilege. As a family-owned "mom and pop" business (Chad & Jill), every customer is appreciated and welcomed as part of our extended family. Customer service is truly at the heart of our company, and we strive to make every interaction personal, friendly, and memorable. If you wish to experience our dedication firsthand, just give us a call at 407-754-2353; we look forward to delighting you with our butterflies and our service.

Do you have butterflies available?

You can easily check the availability of butterflies using the calendar feature on any of our packages. Simply select the package you’re interested in, and you’ll see a calendar with unavailable dates clearly blocked out. If your desired date isn’t blocked, butterflies can be ordered for that day. For same-day shipping requests, please give us a call. We schedule shipments to arrive the day before your planned release date.

What kind of butterflies can I get and where can I get them?

We raise painted lady butterflies and ship them anywhere in the Continental United States. Only native, environmentally beneficial butterflies are sent to your state.

When do I place my order?

Please place your order as soon as possible. We can reserve orders up to a year in advance and typically request at least 30 days' notice; however, live butterflies may be available even during the week of your event depending on availability. While our specialty is wedding butterflies, we also accommodate memorials and offer same-day shipping when possible. Since we usually sell out about a week before events, it's best to order at your earliest convenience.

How do I pay for my order?

We accept major credit cards, PayPal and Venmo, as well as checks or money orders received before shipping. You can order online anytime using our secure form, or call us at 1-407-754-2353 from Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm EST. Your credit card details are protected by industry-standard SSL encryption, and your personal information remains confidential—we never share or sell it. We value your privacy.

We accept all major credit cards along with PayPal and Venmo.
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What is the cost for shipping?

Shipping is additional to the butterfly release package prices. We ship your Live Butterflies priority overnight with FedEx and it is an additional cost of ($40.00) in the state of Florida, ($50.00) for states East of the Rockies and ($50.00) West of the Rockies (AZ, CA, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY). Saturday deliveries for Sunday releases are an additional ($15.00) to all regions.

When will I receive my order and can I track my order?

Your live butterflies will be shipped FedEx next day air to arrive the day before your event in most cases.(Please note there is no Sunday delivery options and we cannot ship to arrive on Monday) Tuesday release dates ship Monday to arrive Tuesday. If you want a Monday release, you can use a Sunday release date for your butterflies to arrive Saturday. In most cities and towns Fed Ex arrives before NOON. When your butterflies ship, FedEx will email your tracking number and it will be available on your account. Your tracking number is generated in advance but will not show any information until FedEx picks up normally around 5pm. When you receive your order it is necessary to replace the ice pack and keep the live butterflies in a cool environment (not a refrigerator). A copy of the complete instructions will be shipped with your butterflies for release.

What if I need to cancel my order?

If the weather is predicted to not cooperate we ask for you to let us know as soon as you can. Your order can also be postponed if need. A Butterfly Release Company ask that to cancel an order that we are contacted as early as possible. Refunds for orders will be charged a charge back fee that is originated from our credit card vendor, it will be no more than 6% of your order total. Cancellation must be at least one week from release date to be considered for refunds. Anything less that a week will be refunded 50% of order amount. No refunds are available for the day of shipping. Products that are shipped in advance like cages, bubbles or other products that are returned for refund need to be returned at customers expense for a refund consideration. Please feel free to contact us with questions for cancellations.

What do I do when the butterflies arrive?

Open the box and you will find your instructions, the Indian poem, and your receipt. Simply take the top Styrofoam lid off and you will find your live butterflies in either your decorator box, or in a floral box that will have your triangular envelope with the butterflies in them. Leave the butterflies in the Styrofoam shipping box and replace the ice pack that we comes with your order. Replace our ice pack with a frozen one (you must have a frozen ice pack prior to delivery) and that will keep the butterflies dormant until you are ready to release them. When putting the Styrofoam lid back on the box, leave it cracked open for some ventilation. Leave the box in a room temperature room. Do not put your butterflies in a refrigerator.

What do I do the day of our butterfly release?

One hour before you want your butterflies to fly, take the floral box or decorator box out of the insulated shipping box and let the butterflies warm and wake up. Make sure you tell your guest there are butterflies in the envelopes and to be gentle. The temperature needs to be above 70 degrees for a successful release. Painted lady or Monarch? There are a many advantages to using the Painted Lady for your Butterfly Release. While the Monarch is also a beautiful butterfly, the Painted Lady will linger after releases while the Monarch will quickly flee the scene. If you would like to enjoy the excitement of a butterfly that will often land contently on your shoulder or bouquet, this butterfly will perfectly accommodate your wishes. Both butterflies are very beautiful, the monarch has an average size of 4 inches compared to the average size of a painted lady being 2 inches.

When do you give the butterflies to the guests to release?

The shortest amount of time is the best. Some ideas are to hand them out while your guest go outside to release them. Get a volunteer to let people know they have a live butterfly for release while giving them to the guest.

If it's an outdoor ceremony let the guest all be seated and then have the ushers or appointed volunteers quickly and easily hand them out just before the ceremony . There are countless other ways and if you have questions, please email or call to ask before or after your order.

Can I pick my order up?

We do not have a store front and we work from our residence. But if you would like to save the shipping cost and live locally we can arrange for you to pick up. Please email us though our website for instructions on ordering and picking up.

Do you allow tours on your farm?

Unfortunately, we are not allowed to entertain tours for several reasons: disease prevention, necessary permits and insurance reasons.

Do I get a guarantee?

Yes. Our 20 years of experience ensure reliable shipping via FedEx next day air. As a butterfly farm, we raise and ship healthy adult butterflies directly to you, allowing us to manage costs and quality. We include extras with each order to cover rare losses. Please report any issues promptly and return your order by U.S. mail for refund consideration..

What is the difference between a mass release and an individual release?

A mass release is the bride and groom generally releasing the butterflies together. Our decorator box has two silk ribbons tied around it. One for the bride to untie at same time as the groom, commemorating their new beginning together. The individual release can involve your wedding party and your guest as they all participate together and release the butterflies. Both ways result in the same filling the sky with beautiful and colorful live butterflies.

Can I combine a mass release and an individual release?

Doing both mass release and individual from the envelopes together is also a great option and we want to accommodate what you want. To order both online, click your package and simply choose the envelope color and enter your imprint. Then scroll down to the mass release box you'd like and add that to your package then continue to check out. Before you check out there will be a Comment's / Instructions Box. Leave you instructions in the box for example...20 envelopes & 40 in Decorator Box and we'll accommodate your request.

Are Origami envelopes safe for the butterflies?

Yes. Not only are they safe, but they are best for the butterflies safety and protection. We have the bulky cardboard boxes available although do not recommend them. The thin folded origami envelope has an important purpose of keeping the butterfly safe and secure in it's natural roosting position with it's wings comfortably in a resting position. The thin secure paper origami folded envelope is important for the butterflies safety so it does not damage or harm itself. This prevents our customers from receiving a butterfly with a damaged wing. Another benefit is that in the paper triangle, the antennae are pushed back alongside the strong forewing vein and are protected from damage unlike the bulky cardboard that lets legs and antennas reach out from the locking tabs.

What happens after the butterflies are released?

Once released, your live butterflies will glide toward nearby flowers or plants and may even settle on bouquets or guests. These resilient insects are important for maintaining wild populations as they continue their life cycles after release. Painted lady butterflies, in particular, are highly adaptable and can thrive on a variety of host plants.

Are the butterflies harmed?

Each butterfly is individually placed in an envelope or a safe mass release Decorator box, then packed securely in a protective container with an ice pack inside a reinforced shipping box. This method keeps the butterflies dormant and protected during transit until they arrive.

Complete Instructions Come With Your Order - How It Works

What temperature does it need to be for a butterfly release?

For a successful release, the temperatures really need to be over 65 degrees. The butterfly release should also be done during the day and outside. If the temperatures are below 65 degrees the butterflies will survive just fine, but they may be very slow to fly and some may not want to fly at all. If this happens you can still enjoy the butterflies by letting them crawl along fingers and hands of the guest releasing them until they fly or the guest may need to find a plant for them to be transferred until they are ready to fly. This can give you a great opportunity to enjoy the butterflies close up and get some fantastic photos. Eventually the cold blooded butterfly will warm up enough to find nectar and shelter.

Is there a minimal quantity that can be ordered?

Yes, the minimal amount to order we offer is one dozen painted lady butterflies.

How does the release work?

It is instinctive and natural for the butterflies to fly when the envelope or decorator box is opened. Painted lady butterflies will only fly if the temperature is above 70 degrees. Beach weddings and releases are great but wind can be a problem. With to strong of an wind the butterflies will not fly. Or if it is too cold, the butterflies will not fly. Your release must be outdoors and during the day.

Do butterflies harm the environment?

No they do not. In fact by doing a butterfly release you are helping populate butterflies that have been displaced do to urban sprawl. Our farm is fully permitted by the USDA and we are reputable members of the IBBA. We comply with each states requirements. We do not ship to states where they do not naturally occur. The butterflies we ship are raised disease free and once released into a new environment they perpetuate to the new surroundings very instinctively.

Can a Monday butterfly release be accommodated?

Yes, we provide Monday releases on a regular basis, but you will find the day of Monday blacked out. To place an order online for a Monday release day, simply use the date and day of the Sunday prior to the Monday date. Using that Sunday day and date will put you our schedule to ship Friday for a Saturday delivery. Then it is very important that you provide a frozen ice package and change the ice pack out about every 12 hours keeping the butterflies in a natural consistent dormancy. Then make sure you let them warm up for 30 - 60 minutes on Monday before you release the butterflies, and they will be fine.

Can I request something different than the packages you provide?

Yes, we want to accommodate what you're looking for. Our packages can be split up and customize however you'd like. Our Special Occasions Page offers custom made packages for customer in the past that we leave up to give you more options. You can use the Comments Box during check out for your instructions or call us and let us know exactly what you want. We're here to provide the service that you want, so please let us know.

What is the IBBA?

International Butterfly Breeders Association, Inc. was founded in 1998 and is the largest and oldest professional butterfly farming trade association. Members bring valuable knowledge, ethics and professionalism to the service of butterfly release. The standards practiced by their members are for the love of butterflies and the education of consumers. Please be a responsible consumer and purchase from someone with the high standards of the IBBA . If your vendor is not a member of the IBBA, it means they don't meet the strict guidelines of a professional breeder.

Is it legal to release butterflies?

Yes is it perfectly legal to release butterflies. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) plays a central role in butterfly release regulations. When butterflies are shipped across state lines, especially in large quantities for events, USDA permits are often required for most species. These permits help ensure that only approved species and subspecies are transported, reducing the risk of ecological disruption. Painted Lady butterflies (Vanessa cardui) are the exception to the requirement of USDA permitting and painted lady butterflies are indigenous throughout the Continental Untied States. They are amazing pollinators and important to our ecological system.

Are butterfly releases ethical?

Butterfly releases are ethical if the butterflies come from reputable breeders like Butterfly Release Company®, who ensure their butterflies are disease-free and native to the area. Avoid buying butterflies transported across state lines to non-indigenous environments. Choose breeders with high Better Business Bureau ratings and IBBA membership, and look for farms that raise their own butterflies. Reliable breeders have experience and maintain healthy stock; beware of inexperienced sellers.