Description

The Professional Butterfly Farming Manual comprises over 600 pages of articles from the Professional Butterfly Farming Workshop.

Over 600 pages of text instruction, photos, drawings – from beginner to advanced level learning to start or expand your butterfly raising business!  Learn how to raise butterflies profitably; build and maintain a flight house; give professional butterfly education presentations and more! The Professional Butterfly Farming Manual also includes special articles from world-wide experts.  The topics are listed below.

The Professional Butterfly Farming Manual is provided in downloadable articles you can print out and put into a binder.  Or, you may wish to have a print shop do this for you!  You will have the files on your computer, also – to access on screen.

The Professional Butterfly Farming Manual

1.  The Business of Butterfly Farming – The Frequently Asked Questions

• What Is Butterfly Farming?
• Who Buys Butterflies?  Is It Profitable?
• How Do Butterflies Grow, And How Are They Raised in Captivity?
• Small-Scale, At-Home Butterfly Raising Business
• Medium-Scale Commercial Butterfly Farms
• Large-Scale Commercial Butterfly Farms
• Getting Started – Frequently Asked Questions
• What Knowledge Do I Need to Successfully Raise Butterflies?
• What Knowledge Do I Need to Run the Business End?
• How Are Butterflies Advertised and Sold?
• What About the Competition?
• What Personality Traits Make for a Successful Butterfly Farmer?
• What Do I Need to Start Up a Butterfly Farm?
• What Are the Pitfalls and Problems Associated with New Start-Ups?
• A Day in the Life of a Butterfly Breeder

2.  The Setup and Equipment – Getting Started

• Equipment and Cages
• The Simple Flight House and Enclosures

3.  The Livestock and Production Processes

• Overview Of the Lifecycle and Raising Process
• Larval Host Plants and Feeding Adults
• Obtaining Livestock for Start-up
• Pairing Butterflies
• Eggs, Larvae and Pupae
• Raising Healthy, Disease and Parasitoid-Free Butterflies
• Monarchs and O.e. Parasites – a Scientist’s View – by Dr. Sonia Altizer
• Egg Collection and Egg Wash for O.e. Prevention – Melanie McCarthy
• O.e. Solution and Directions – Jacob Groth
• Disease and Parasitoid Prevention (Including O.e.) – Nigel Venters
• Pests and How to Deal with Them
• E-Z Painted Lady – Start Up Small and Try out Butterfly Farming

4.  (Business) Articles Include:

• Permits & Regulatory Agencies
• Preparation, packaging & shipping
• Shipping Orders, Containers, Instruction & Customer Care
• Working with Wedding Consultants and Funeral Directors
• Raising Kits for Schools & Groups
• Butterfly Education Presentations with Grace Venters
• Butterfly Education Presentations – With Kathleen Ziemer, Zane Greathouse and Todd Stout
• Mobile Exhibits – With: Fran LeMasters, David Folk, David Bohlken, and Zane Greathouse
• Butterfly Exhibits – With Nigel Venters, Dave Clermont, Ellen Reid, and Jacqui Knight
• Building Your Butterfly Business: Merchandise, Advertising, Professional Association Membership

5.  (Raising & Production) Articles Include:

• The Advanced Flight House
• Maximum Monarchs – Part I
• Maximum Monarchs – Part II
• Rapid Growth Systems for Milkweed and Host Plants – Aeroponics (With Judi Sunshine) and Hydro-U Hydroponic Systems
• The Vanessas
• The Longwings
• Breeding Painted Ladies, Red Admirals and the Longwings
• Raising Painted Lady Butterflies on Artificial Diet
• Swallowtails – Raising in Pop Ups and in Sleeves
• Mourning Cloaks
• Managing Production Levels to Fill Orders
• Regulating Livestock and Temperature Controls
• Successful Breeding Techniques
• Holding Technique Using Refrigeration – With Jacob Groth
• How to Make Compost
• Temperature-Induced Aberrations and A Simple Guide to Genetic Health and Natural Aberrations

NOTE: The Professional Butterfly Farming Manual includes the following papers which are also available individually

• Maximum Monarchs and More!
• The Butterfly Flight House
• Painted Lady, Red Admiral and Long Wing Butterflies