Questions

Why order from Butterfly Release Company?

We are butterfly breeders that raise our own butterflies giving us the best quality control possible making our butterflies easy to guarantee. This also gives us the opportunity to offer the best prices for butterflies on the web.

We have been shipping live butterflies across the United States successfully for more than 10 years. Our company is an 'Accredited Business' with an 'A plus Rating' by the Better Business Bureau and is one of the few breeders that are active members of the BBB. We take great pride in our butterflies and great pride in our company. Our 'company' is more than a job, it is a passion that we feel blessed to be able to do and provide for people. We are a family owned 'mom and pop' business (Chad & Jill) that appreciates every single customer. At Butterfly Release Company, customer service is not a lost art, but something we practice with every customer treating them like family and friends. Just call us and find out for yourself. 407-754-2353. Orlando's best butterflies.

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

We provide painted lady and monarch butterflies through out the Continental United States although due to USDA restrictions we CANNOT ship monarchs (only painted lady butterflies) to AK,AZ,CA, Western CO, ID,MT,NV,NM,OR,UT and WA. We only ship butterflies that are indigenous to your state and that are beneficial to the environment.

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. This year we have decided not to raise monarch butterflies and will only have painted lady butterflies available this year.

When do I place my order?

As soon as you can. We will hold reservations on an order for a year in advance. 30 days is requested, however based on availability it live butterflies can be provided the same week of your event. We specialize in wedding butterflies but we can accommodate memorials for a same day shipping if possible. We do normally sell out about a week in advance so please order at your earlies convenience.

How do I pay for my order?

We accept all major credit cards and PayPal. We can take checks or money orders as long as we receive them prior to shipping. You can place your order on line with our secure order form 24/7, or call 1-407-754-2353 Monday - Friday 9am - 6pm EST. Your credit card information is protected using industry standard (SSL) encryption technology and your information is kept confidential and never sold or given to a third party. We respect your privacy.

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 ($35.00) in the state of Florida, ($45.00) 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.

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.

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 I get a guarantee?

Yes. Our shipping has been proven and perfected through our years of experience, making it simple to guarantee. We ship our packages with FedEx (next day air). We are a butterfly farm that raises our butterflies to send to you. We are not a middle man or broker. Because of this we can keep cost down and control exactly what we ship out. What we ship out is always young healthy, strong and beautiful adult live butterflies that we are sure will survive the shipping. We have a proven and effective quality control system. We do include extras on your order in the case of an occasional expired butterfly. Report any problems immediately and return your order via 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?

The wedding butterflies will fly to nearby flowers and plants. Often a few of the released butterflies will land on the bride's bouquet or even land on a few of the guests - which people enjoy. The butterflies will perpetuate naturally and instinctively repopulating their dwindling numbers in our environment. While the monarch will find it's host plant milkweed, painted lady butterflies have almost 1000 different host plants they will thrive on.

Are the butterflies harmed?

No. The butterflies are lovingly hand placed into individual envelopes, then placed in a white carnation box. Or in our custom made decorator boxes that have been developed for the safety of the butterflies. This is then packaged ina Styrofoam reinforced shipping boxwith an ice pack. This safely keeps the butterflies dormant until the package arrives and is opened.

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.

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.

Shipping Information

Butterflies are sent via FedEx overnight delivery the day before the event with instructions. We cannot ship to arrive Sunday for Monday releases and Tuesday releases can only be sent out Monday for Tuesday with a 10:30am delivery time in most cities. Please check your zip code with FedEx.com/rates and transit time or call us for more information. For shipping the butterflies are safely packaged in a Styrofoam cooled box keeping the butterflies dormant and safe for delivery while they are in their individual personalized envelope or decorator box ready for release. Display cages such as our large, small and hand held cages along with and Release Boxes will be sent in advance so the butterflies can be transferred into them when the butterflies arrive. Please allow at least 14 days prior to your release date for ground shipping of your display cage.

Release Information

(1) Butterflies should be released outside during daylight hours, on a sunny or overcast (but not rainy!) day with a temperature above 70 F. Ideally, you should plan to let them fly free no later than two hours before sunset. This will allow sufficient time for them to nectar (eat) and to find a place for the night naturally and instinctively.

(2) Hold your release in an area protected from the wind, or they will quickly disappear! A sunny, warm, flower-filled area or garden is best. The butterflies' first flight is usually very short, and they will instinctively fly toward the brightest object -- the bride or people wearing bright colors -- or towards flowers and bouquets.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us Monday - Saturday 9am - 7pm. (407) 754-2353 or Contact Form online.

We Do SELL OUT and suggest you place your order at least 4 weeks before your date to guarantee you have butterflies for your event. Otherwise we ask for internet orders be places at least 72 hours in advance.

A Butterfly Release Company, Inc reserves the right to refuse or cancel any order.

Compliance

We try to lead the industry with products and customer service but we also go above and beyond internet security rules and regulations with our safeguard of your information.

We also abide by the regulations set by the USDA sending butterflies that are not only indigenous but safe for the environment they are released in. Every order we ship out has the USDA permits necessarily for a lawful release protecting you from possible fines by the USDA. Our company works closely with the USDA for special permits for large releases of 250 plus butterflies. These permits are very important to protect our environment and safeguard our industry.

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