Our Happy Growing team will respond via email within 2 business days!

Shop

Contact

Blog

Insect Lore Help Center

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Insect Lore is the Original Butterflies-By-Mail Company. We have been delivering the Magic of Metamorphosis to families and classrooms for almost 50 years! We take great pride in the quality of our educational products and the reliability of our Live Insect Kits. However, nature can be unpredictable and the hatch rate is not always 100%. That&apos;s why we guarantee 3 out of 5 caterpillars will develop into adult butterflies, and 5 out of 10-15 ladybug larvae will develop into adult ladybugs.</span></p>

Insect Lore is the Original Butterflies-By-Mail Company. We have been delivering the Magic of Metamorphosis to families and classrooms for almost 50 years! We take great pride in the quality of our educational products and the reliability of our Live

What is the Insect Lore Guarantee?

Ordering, Shipping, and Returns

Guarantee & Returns

What should I do when my Cup of Caterpillars™  arrives?

Butterfly raising tips and tricks

Where can I find my butterfly kit instructions?

What should I do if a chrysalis falls?

What can I expect during the butterfly life cycle?

Why should I release my butterflies after a few days?

What should I do during the chrysalis stage?

Can I open my Cup of Caterpillars™?

When should I set up my habitat?

My chrysalis is changing color

When should I order my caterpillars?

What kind of butterfly does Insect Lore provide?

What is the best temperature for the Cup of Caterpillars™ ?

Why should I complete this project indoors?

What should I do if my cup is missing a caterpillar?

What do butterflies eat?

What are the differences between each live butterfly kit?

Should I release my butterflies if it's snowing?

Should I release my butterflies if it's raining?

How much sugar is in the sugar packets?

Why are my caterpillars inactive?

What kind of fruit can my butterflies eat?

What is the webbing in my Cup of Caterpillars™?

Why should I remove the webbing from a chrysalis?

What are the benefits of Insect Lore's butterfly-growing kits?

Can I touch my caterpillars?

Why should I put a paper towel under the habitat?

Should I provide water for my caterpillars?

What should I do if there is condensation in my Cup of Caterpillars™?

Why are my chrysalides shaking?

All my caterpillars except one have formed chrysalides. What do I do?

Why do my butterflies look like moths?

How do I make butterfly nectar?

What is normal behavior in the butterfly habitat?

Can I slow the growth of my caterpillars?

Will my butterflies emerge at the same time?

What are the red droplets I see in my butterfly habitat?

Are the caterpillars shipped frozen?

My caterpillars arrived and are not moving, are they dead?

Are my caterpillars stuck in their webbing?

What is the black object I see at the top of my chrysalis?

Release day guidelines

How do I clean my butterfly habitat?

What do I do when my chrysalides form?

When will my butterflies start eating?

Why are my butterfly's wings shaking?

Can I bring my butterflies in the car?

Why is it important to be gentle with my Cup of Caterpillars™?

Not all my butterflies have hatched, when should I feed them?

Are my caterpillars running out of food?

When and where should I release my butterflies?

Do I need to mist my chrysalides?

What temperature should it be when I release my butterflies?

Can I reuse my butterfly habitat?

How long is the chrysalis stage?

How do I remove the webbing from a chrysalis?

Do my caterpillars have enough air?

Where is my chrysalis log?

Do I need to provide food for my caterpillars?

Will my butterflies lay eggs?

What are the ingredients in the caterpillar food?

Can I put my caterpillars in the refrigerator to slow their growth?

Butterfly Kit Questions

Do butterflies sleep?

What is frass?

How many legs does a caterpillar have?

How can I tell if my butterflies are male or female?

How long is the butterfly life cycle?

Where do butterflies go in winter?

What is an instar?

How long does it take for a butterfly’s wings to harden after emergence?

How long do butterflies live?

What is the difference between a moth and a butterfly?

What's the difference between and chrysalis and a cocoon?

What is Lepidoptera?

Why do butterflies have dust on their wings?

Which butterfly species does Insect Lore provide?

How do butterflies eat?

How do I feed my butterflies?

Why can butterflies taste with their feet?

Do Painted Lady butterflies migrate?

What is the biggest threat to butterflies?

How many eyes do caterpillars have?

When should I feed my butterflies?

How many legs does a butterfly have?

What is a larva?

How fast do Painted Lady butterflies fly?

How far can Painted Ladies fly?

Learn about Butterflies

Butterfly Questions

Ladybug Land® tips and tricks

How should I feed my adult ladybugs?

Where can I find my Ladybug Land® instructions?

How do I transfer my ladybug larvae to the Ladybug Land®?

How do I clean my Ladybug Land®?

Why are my ladybugs white when they emerge?

How long should I observe the ladybug life cycle in my Ladybug Land®?

Should I provide water for my ladybug larvae?

How do I release my ladybugs?

What kind of ladybug does Insect Lore supply?

How do I add water to the Ladybug Land?

My ladybug larvae arrived and are not moving, are they dead?

I've lost the magnifying cap for my ladybug land

Ladybug Kit Questions

What is the ladybug’s scientific name?

Are ladybugs beneficial insects?

Are ladybugs predators?

How many insects can a ladybug eat in their lifetime?

How many aphids can a ladybug eat?

Do ladybugs go through metamorphosis?

What is the ladybug's lifespan in the wild?

What are the stages of the ladybug life cycle?

How can I tell whether a ladybug is male or female?

Do ladybugs have to worry about predators?

Do ladybugs taste bad?

Why does a ladybug have spots?

What do ladybugs do during the winter months?

How fast can a ladybug fly?

Learn About Ladybugs

Ladybug Questions

Do Mason Bees make honey?

Are Mason Bees beneficial?

How do Mason Bees find their way back to their nests?

Are Mason Bees pollinators?

What is a solitary bee?

Do Mason Bees hibernate?

Why are Mason Bees important?

What is a scopa?

What is the Mason Bee life cycle?

When are Mason Bees available?

Are my bees male or female?

What are the best temperatures for Mason Bees?

Where should I set up my Mason Bee habitat?

Is this an indoor or outdoor project?

Why are mason bees seasonal?

Can I order mason bees when it's cold?

Where Can I Find My Mason Bee Hatching Habitat Instructions?

Mason Bee Kit Questions

What species of bee do you provide?

Do Mason Bees sting?

Do Mason Bees have a queen?

Learn About Mason Bees

Mason Bee Questions

How do I set up my school kit?

What are the best kits for my classroom?

School Kits

Do ants sleep?

How do ants dig?

Ant care tips and tricks

How do I set up my Ant Mountain™?

Where can I find my Ant Mountain™ instructions?

What kind of ants are in my Ant Mountain™?

Where do my ants come from?

Can I put ants from my yard in my Ant Mountain™?

When should I move my ants to their habitat?

Does my Ant Mountain™ come with a queen ant?

Can I touch my ants?

Should I provide food for my ants?

What are Ant Refills?

Do my ants have enough air?

How do I care for my Ant Mountain™?

Can I reuse my Ant Mountain™?

Should I release my ants?

Are the ants in my Ant Mountain Male or Female?

What Should I Do when My Tube of Ants Arrives

Ant Kit Questions

Do ants go through metamorphosis?

Why do ants have antennae?

How strong is an ant?

Are ants intelligent?

What do Western Harvester Ants eat?

What kind of seeds do ants enjoy?

What is a group of ants called?

What is a granary?

How long have ants populated the earth?

Is there an ant king?

Learn About Ants

Ant Questions

What is a voucher?

What is a kit with voucher?

Where can I purchase a voucher?

How do I redeem my voucher?

How do I redeem multiple vouchers?

I've lost my voucher, what do I do?

My voucher says it's been used, but I have never used it.

I've entered my voucher code on the website but didn't finish checking out, can I still use my voucher code?

What is the Insect Lore Guarantee?Updated 8 months ago