Caterpillar Support
Each year we are frequently contacted by a frantic butterfly gardener concerning not having enough host plant for their voraciously eating caterpillars. Finding safe, pesticide-free host plants can be a challenge. Our free Caterpillar Support program can help!
How We Can Help
First, know that no matter how many host plants you have, it will never be enough because some species of butterflies lay a lot of eggs, and some caterpillars are voracious eaters, for example Monarchs. Even we run out of or run low on certain host plants by the end of the season!
Based upon how many people we have heard express their need for pesticide-free host plants, we decided to create a free support program to provide whole host plants or leaves, adoption or foster care, to butterfly gardeners who run out of food or are overwhelmed by an abundance of eggs or caterpillars.
HOST PLANTS
We can provide you with whole host plants or just leaves, depending on availability and unique situation.
Our host plants are grown from quality purchased seed, or seeds collected from plants in our habitat. We never use pesticides, and we always grow our plants with lots and lots of love.
ADOPTION OR FOSTER CARE
Adoption is the same idea with people and pets. We will adopt however many caterpillars we think we can adequately feed.
Foster care entails us raising your caterpillars to a chrysalis and then returning them back to you so that you may enjoy the magic of having them eclose and being released.
CATERPILLAR SITTING
Do you have caterpillars or chrysalises that need short-term care while you’re on vacation or have an unexpected out-of-town emergency? We can tend to your caterpillars and will send you updates by email or text.
Species We Raise
We have identified over 25 different species of host plant within our backyard habitat. For educational and outreach purposes, we hand raise a variety of Swallowtail caterpillars. We also hand raise Monarchs to provide support to their declining population. All other species we typically allow them to go through their life cycle in our habitat as we’ve learned that they know exactly what to do.
BACKYARD BUTTERFLIES
We have hand raised 18 different species of caterpillars collected from host plants within our habitat. Not all species have an infographic sheet just yet. Click on each species to download a helpful infographic.
American Lady
Black Swallowtail
Cloudless Sulphur
Common Buckeye
Monarch
Pipevine Swallowtail
Red Spotted Purple
Silver Spotted Skipper
Sleepy Orange
Spicebush Swallowtail
Tiger Swallowtail
Variegated Fritillary
Wild Indigo Duskywing
Zebra Swallowtail
Caterpillar Support Form
Fields marked with * are required. Please allow up to 24 hrs for a response to your request for support. Your address is requested in the event we need to bring you host plant or adopt your caterpillars.