The Day Before Your Event ...

.. you will receive a box via FedEx overnight delivery. Inside the shipping box each butterfly is resting and carefully contained in its own packaging designed to protect the butterfly prior to your special event ..

At the appropriate time before or during the event, the individual butterfly release boxes are passed out to the guests (unless the mass release option is requested) . When the special moment arrives, all guests open their triangular release boxes simply by removing the band. The beautiful Monarchs joyfully emerge and sky dance to the delight and amazement of everyone! If you prefer to do a mass release, please see below in the section called "Mass Release Boxes."

Don't Worry ... .

Each hand-raised butterfly is fed, packaged and ready to be released. All you have to do is keep them in the delivery package until shortly before your event. Full instructions are included with the shipment. In addition, you may download the 2 instructions sheets (for either warm or cold weather) by clicking on the icons just below. The documents are in PDF format. (To download a free PDF reader, click on the "Adobe Acrobat" icon at the bottom of this page.) The adult butterflies are fully developed and ready to spring forth when released, so no there is no need to worry about whether butterflies will hatch on time as with other companies.

Exclusively at Swallowtail Farms

Our many years experience as the Original Butterfly Company translates into beautifully vibrant butterflies arriving safe and sound in special protective packages, each containing a single live butterfly. These packages will arrive in a larger insulated shipping container that contains a thermal pack keeping the inner temperature cool, even in hot weather. This temperature allows the resting butterflies to remain cool and calm during shipping and storage until your event.

Our Guarantee 

When should I order?

We realize not all situations allow enough notice - especially for funeral or memorials. So, we normally can take orders even up until the last moment. However, reservations can be made up to a year in advance. Placing your order as early as possible ensures that your butterflies will be available. We do not have a cut-off date for reservations, however we HIGHLY recommend ordering as early as possible to ensure a secured reservation.  We occasionally sell out 4 to 6 weeks prior to the event.  However, we can usually fill orders even at the last minute.  So, please call for availability, even if your event is the NEXT DAY and we just may be able to get the butterflies to you.

How many do I order?

One butterfly for every guest to release is ideal! However, if your budget does not allow for this many butterflies, we have found that releasing one butterfly per "couple" (or every other guest) will also result in an enjoyable display for release. Although the minimum order is 1 dozen, we recommend ordering 2 dozen or more for the optimum visual effect.

New! Mass Release Boxes, Custom Printing, & Designer Release Box Options 

We have a wide variety of package & release options available.  For those interested in releasing butterflies from one container, we now have various sizes of mass release boxes and cages available.  Additionally, we have a new designer release box for the high quality individual release.