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Butterfly farming
Butterfly farming is only one of the few businesses that is eco-friendly. To be able to establish such business one needs to plant trees and flowers that would attract or would serve as food for the butterfly.
Dome or Enclosure:
A big dome or enclosure is needed to start this business. This dome would encloses the trees and butterflies. It could be as simple as huge fishnet/mosquito net that will enclose the whole vicinity. The plant inside the dome is depends on the butterfly that one wants to breed. Every butterfly have a specific plant that it use as a host or use as their food.
Stock:
Butterflies could be bought from near by farms or caught from the wild. This butterflies is then released in the dome/enclosure. The female butterfly after sometime will lay their eggs in the host plant.
Butterfly Host Plant
Battus polydamus Aristolochia
Parides spp. Aristochia
Anteos chloride Cassia
Phoebis sp. Cassia
Adelpha fessonia Randia
Papilio cresphontes Citrus
Dryas iulia Passiflora
Danaus plexippus (monarch) Asclepias (Milkweed)
The eggs that has been laid their should be transferred to an area on which they are away from harm or predators/ something sort of a nursery. The first instar larvae is transferred to a host plant in a small pot which are placed in a small box or cages. A cut and carry system of feeding shall be applied if the larvae is now a voracious eater. It is also a must that the cages should be cleaned everyday. After a few days the larvae will stop to eat and will find a spot to hang itself to become a pupa. This pupa will then transform to become the butterfly. The cycle then begins again.
Market:
Live butterflies are now used as an ornament in special occasions like wedding, birthdays, debut, graduation etc. Preserved butterflies are also being sold in different department stores. The pupal stage are sometimes used for it’s silk. The farm itself could generate incomes from paying visitors.
Reference: butterflyfarm.co.