World Alive - A Spanish company that makes a fantastic range Insect Habitat Kits.

Available now is the Butterfly Habitat Kit. Apart from being perfect for holding any insects and bugs you find in the garden, you can also arrange for live butterfly eggs to be delivered to enable you to "hatch" your own butterflies.

The habitat measures 300 m cube and has mesh on two sides, and clear plastic on the other two sides and top.  The kits also includes and information and instruction booklet, and a small magnifying glass, tweezers and pipette for feeding.

The habitat can be purchased at a range of toy and nature stores or online at www.cowtrees.com.au 

If you have purchased a habitat, you may also purchased live butterfly eggs. This service is only available to purchasers of the World Alive habitat in Australia. You can complete and post the form included with your habitat, or order online here.

Your order will be passed on to one of our network of breeders who will forward the eggs to you directly via Express Post to ensure they arrive quickly and in good condition. It is important that you follow the care instructions to ensure you butterfly hatches. As we are dealing with live material we take great care to ensure that they arrive in the best condition:

• They will usually only be dispatched on a Monday or Tuesday to ensure they do not spend the  weekend in the  postal system
• If inappropriate weather (excessively hot or cold) is forecast, their dispatch may be delayed
• The actual species supplied will depend on the time of year and availability
• The actual species supplied will also depend on where you are located. The Cabbage White butterfly mentioned on the habitat packaging is considered a pest in NSW, so will normally not be supplied to NSW. If it is, it is important that you not release your butterfly into the  environment after it is hatched.
• During certain times of the year - especially winter - there may be several weeks delay before your eggs can be dispatched.
• Unfortunately, due to State regulations, we cannot supply butterflies to WA addresses.
• You will typically receive 6 fertilised eggs to ensure as much as possible that there is at least one successful hatching. What happens after hatching comes down to how well you look after them!

To complete the order form below, you will need the following information:

• Postal address for delivery
• Credit Card details for payment ($15 inc GST, which includes Express Postage)
• The serial number from the voucher within your habitat packaging as proof of purchase

Due to varying supply issues and State restrictions, you may receive Orchard Butterfly eggs, which fed on citrus leaves. Click here to see an supplemental information sheet on the Orchard Butterfly.

We are now able to offer Caper White butterfly pupae. The charge is the same, and you will receive two pupae. You also have the option of still receiving eggs when available, however pupae are considered a much better option. You can find a fact sheet on the Caper White here. You can also find an illustration here on how to "mount" the pupae when they arrive so you have the best chance of a successful hatching.

CHRISTMAS 2007. As Christmas approaches, please be aware of possible delays in dispatch and the time take for your butterflies to reach maturity if you are planning on being away from home over the holiday period. If you are going away, it might be better to delay ordering until late January.

Click here to access the order form.  Please provide an email address when ordering (or phone number) so we can advise you of your eggs/pupae ETA.

 
Frequently Asked Questions?

What do I actually get? If you have ordered eggs, you will typically receive half a dozen eggs that are known to be fertilised. All of these eggs should hatch. They will come in small petri dish for protection in transit. If you ordered pupae, you will receive two small pupae in the  petri dish.

What do I do with them when they arrive? The eggs may be stuck to the bottom of the dish. Do not remove them as they need to be able to drag themselves away from their egg shell when they break out. If they are stuck to a small leaf in the dish, then carefully remove this leaf and place it on a fresh leaf so they can easily access fresh food when they hatch. If you ordered pupae, then they will need to be mounted. Refer here for instructions.

What do the eggs eat? The Cabbage White requires fresh cabbage leaves. For more information refer to the booklet that came with your habitat. The Orchard Butterfly eggs require citrus leaves - refer to the additional information sheet for further information. All leaves should be known to be pesticide free (if unsure at least wash them) and the younger and fresher the better.

Do I need to feed the pupae? No. Once your butterfly hatches you can feed it nectar as per the booklet that came with your habitat.

Do you guarantee I will get a live butterfly? There are no 100% guarantees with live stock, however we take every step to ensure you have the best chance of success. However much depends on you caring for them properly when they arrive. If you receive eggs, you will received half a dozen fertilised eggs, so there is 99.9% probability that at least one of these will hatch. What happens next is beyond our control. If you receive pupae, we provide 2 as a safeguard and if mounted correctly, there is 99.9% probability you will have at least one butterfly emerge.

How long will it take? Eggs will hatch within a few days (this is why we send them Express Post). The larvae, or caterpillars, that emerge will eat themselves silly for 2-4 weeks before finding a good spot to form a cocoon, or pupa. Depending upon the weather conditions, the butterfly should emerge within 2-4 weeks and then live for about 2 weeks. If you receive pupae in the mail, then they may hatch within a week. If the weather is too cold, the pupa may hibernate for months until it gets warmer!

Which should I get - eggs or pupae? It depends on the recipient and result you are looking for. Eggs needs a lot of care for them to grow through to a butterfly. So if the recipient is a young child, they will need a lot of parental help and patience. Pupa are more robust and require less care and less of a wait, so we would recommend these, when available, especially for younger children.