Winter Painted Lady Kit for Indoors (Nectar Included)

Turn the winter months into a season of wonder and transformation with our Indoor Painted Lady Butterfly Kit. It's the perfect family activity or Christmas/Holiday gift for someone who needs a little springtime in the middle of winter. 

What comes in the Kit? Our indoor winter kit comes with everything you need to take care of your 5 Painted Lady caterpillars. This includes food for caterpillars, nectar for the butterflies, instructions for care, 2 copies of our coloring sheet, and a huge 12" X 24" enclosure to keep your Chrysalis in and provide a home for your adult butterflies. If you already have a large enclosure, just purchase some refill cups here! Additional cups can be ordered for only $10 extra (see order options dropdown above). We guarantee 4/5 healthy caterpillars from each cup!

When can I order this and when will it arrive? Orders will be fulfilled/shipped the week of Dec 16th, and should arrive 1-3 days later, a few days before Christmas. If you need it for a different time in Nov or Dec, mention dates in order the notes at checkout or contact us with a special request. This kit is available to order until Dec 18th. 

Can I pick up my kit if I live in Utah? Yes! Pickup will be the week before Christmas (Dec 17 to Dec 20th). We will have a drive thru set up as well as mobile pickup in our insulated cooler. If you want to pick up before this week, contact us or mention your pickup date in the comment box in your cart during checkout. 

How hard is this project? Raising caterpillars is 10/10 easy! We still provide instructions to make sure you don't miss anything. All you have to do the first 2 weeks is watch your caterpillars grow each day! Everything they need is already in the cup. Once they turn into Chrysalis, you'll need to take 2 minutes to attach the paper lid to the inside of your popup enclosure and wait about a week for them to turn into butterflies. As adults, we provide a nectar mix. Just add one cup of water and pour the nectar onto a paper towel for the butterflies. That's it! 

How do I release them once they turn into butterflies? Unless you live in a warm climate with 60+ degree weather in the winter, we recommend keeping your adult butterflies indoors, as we give you everything you need to keep them to observe their whole lifespan. Winter is the only time you can do a fully indoor kit because the cooler temperatures and lower outside light help the butterflies stay more mellow than if it was Spring or Summer. It's a fun and unique experience, but if you'd rather release them outside, we recommend waiting for March to order our standard spring butterfly kit. 

Can we hold and interact with the butterflies in the winter kit? YES! This is one of the best parts, since the cooler temperatures and lower outside light help the butterflies stay more mellow than if it was Spring or Summer. Just make sure you or your child's hands are clean before trying to hold the butterflies. 

How Long does it take? It takes about 8-14 days on average for the caterpillars to reach the chrysalis stage, and another 10-12 days for them to emerge as butterflies. Adult butterflies can live 2-4 weeks with proper care. You can plan on the whole process taking about 4-6 weeks from start to finish. 

Can I use my own Enclosure? Our enclosure is collapsible and highly durable, and can be reused over and over again, only needing a rinse or cloth wipe own between uses. You can also use your own, but we recommend it's at least 12 inches wide and tall. Once you have your net, if you want to do this project again or already have a large net, just order refill cups here. Each net can hold up to 20 butterflies or 4 cups of caterpillars. 

US shipping available to the 48 continental states. Orders must be placed by Dec 18th to arrive before Christmas.