BUTTERFLY WEDDINGS
What you need to know?
What butterflies symbolize 2 U?
What do we do for you?
How to order?
Breeding Process?
Packaging
Code of Conduct
Responses from clients


COLLECTING BUTTERFLIES
Collections
Research
Plates & Descriptions
Books
Excursions

BUTTERFLY SANCTUARY
Starting a new butterfly farm?
What's the process?
Is it profitable?
Indigenous vs. exotics?
Courses

BREEDING BUTTERFLIES
Breeding butterflies 4 weddings
What Butterflies?
Symbiotic relationships
Breeding methods?
School breeding projects
Courses

BUTTERFLY HOST PLANTS
Nurseries
Garden services
Local communities
What plants do I need?
Where do I get these plants?
What value do have plants have?
How do I care for these plants?

BUTTERFLY ARTS and CRAFTS
Decor

What we do for you?

pear charaxes larva

White Barred Acraea larva

Emperor Swallowtail larva

Layman larvae

Moon moth larva

Layman

Emperor Swallowtail

False Acraea

White Barred Emperor

Bush Bronze

Emperor Swallowtail

Large Sprite

Bush Bronze

Mother of Pearl

South African Butterfly Breeding Association (SABBA)
A section 21 Company. Registration No.2005/035553/08. P. O. Box 599, Ramsgate, 4285.
Tel: (039) 314 9307. Fax: 0867427951. Cell: 074 4225 587.
Websites: (1) www.sabutterflies.co.za (2) www.butterflyweddings.co.za
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Butterfly Weddings

What do you need to know?
All butterfly or moth species that are found throughout South Africa, although being the same species have a geographical fingerprint of their specific environments. Interbreeding the geographical strains can lead to these species becoming sterile and in so doing can destroy an entire butterfly or moth species. For example only butterflies in Durban can be bred for Durban releases. They cannot be sent to Johannesburg as the same species will be geographically different, even though they look the same. This is why the breeding process takes up to 12 weeks for common type locality butterflies to breed and to be ready for a wedding. Butterflies are collected from your area and bred, then sent back to a wedding in the same locality from whence the breeding specimens have been found. Only these butterflies can be released in the same area.

Butterfly weddings: Are they good or bad?

Butterfly weddings provide people with an opportunity to do something small for the conservation of butterflies in South Africa. The business called "Butterfly Weddings" has met all the criteria set out by the South African Butterfly Breeding Association and have adopted  SABBA's polices as well as act in accordance with the Code of Conduct. Their adopted breeding methods and handling of these fragile creatures is unique and well conducted. Inspections are conducted at regular intervals to check on the conditions in which butterflies and moths are bred. Through these breeding programs, many new host plants have been discovered. This makes breeding butterflies easier to breed.

What butterflies symbolize to different cultures
The symbolism of butterflies signifies something different to each person who gets one, while the meaning assigned to butterflies differs from culture to culture.

• The ancient Celts believed that butterflies were souls seeking a new mother

• The ancient Greeks  called them 'psyche', because their flitting from flower to flower represented the constant movement within the human mind.

• For many the releasing of butterflies at weddings symbolizes happiness, as butterflies dart off in all directions proclaiming the promised marriage of two souls bound in Gods trust and word.

• The Blackfoot tribe of American Indians believed that they bring dreams to people.

• The Chinese see them as a symbol of love.

• Many other cultures see them as a common symbol of transformation, representing a persons metamorphosis through life.

• In some other cultures, butterflies are seen as the souls of departed relatives.

• In some images of the Garden of Eden, Adam's soul is symbolized  by a butterfly.

• In many countries the Cleopatra butterfly is called the Easter Jesus and tend to appear around Easter and is considered  a symbol of Christ's resurrection.

• All around the world butterflies represent the winged messengers of some kind or other and always touch the souls of all humans.

• A readily new trend in America is to hold butterfly release ceremonies to symbolize a loved one's "release" from this life.

How to order?
Butterflies can be ordered directly from www.butterflyweddings.co.za
 

Blue bandit	Gold Banded Forester	Layman Pupae	Emperor Swallowtail Pupae

Breeding process?
Once we receive 50% on order, we get to work. We obtain host plants for the gravid females to lay eggs on and make sure that we have enough host plants (food) for them for the duration of the breeding process. Gravid females are obtained and we start them laying their eggs. The breeding process, well monitored, will take approximately 12 weeks. Butterflies start hatching from their pupa's a few days before the date prescribed for  your function. A week before the delivery of the butterflies, upon final payment made by our client, the sorting of the bred specimens falls into effect. The strongest and healthiest specimens are sorted and packaged and are ready to go.

Packaging

No small or large boxes, plastic containers, polystyrene containers may be used for the packaging of live butterflies to be released at weddings or any other form of occasions. This is due to all butterflies and moths being fragile with wings and body parts that are prone to extensive damage in any small confined area. The trend is to place up to 100 butterflies into a large container and to release them simultaneously. This in itself causes extreme damage to each butterfly specimen as they flap their wings in confined or overcrowded spaces and destroy their brittle wings. This practice would not be accepted anywhere if people are really concerned for the safety and well being of butterflies. Only one method is acceptable. This is a triangular paper packet folded in a special way in which the butterfly is kept in the sleeping position which does not allow the butterfly any wing room in which to fly.

The packets come in four basic colors: Blue, Pink, Green and White. Notice the position of the butterfly as it sleeps and remains dormant, conserving its energy while at the same time no harm can be inflicted by itself. You receive a perfect butterfly as the day when it was placed into its packet.

Code of Conduct

FIRST PRINCIPLES
SABBA’s prime purpose is the conservation of wild populations of butterflies and moths and their habitats in South Africa. This entails encouraging people to observe, appreciate and understand the needs of living insects. The issue of collecting butterflies and moths is controversial and it is unlikely that any code will be completely acceptable to everybody. This code is based on the principle that no Lepidoptera should be killed or collected casually, unthinkingly or without good reason, and that collecting, should never be carried out in a way that would endanger, or have any adverse effect on any population of non-pest Lepidoptera.

COLLECTING: CODES and LEGISLATION 
The main threats affecting Lepidoptera populations relate to habitat loss or inappropriate management. Many species, however, are becoming so rare or localized that uncontrolled collecting, particularly if targeted at vulnerable sites and species, might adversely affect populations and lead to local extinctions.
In these circumstances, SABBA believes that care, consideration and restraint need to be exercised at all times, even when collecting is carried out for legitimate and acceptable purposes such as scientific research, the identification of difficult species or breeding programs used for butterfly wedding releases. In some situations specific byelaws prohibit the removal of specimens of flora and fauna from sites while many nature reserves, including private land controlled by either the land owner or SABBA, have a no collecting policy without prior permission, which will only be granted as a day permit and not a seasonal or annual permit. Legislation is also in place, which prohibits the collection of certain species. SABBA members are encouraged to report any obvious transgressions relating to unauthorized collecting to the appropriate authorities.

COMMERCIAL COLLECTING and TRADING
Collecting for commercial purposes is not in the best interests of Lepidoptera conservation in South Africa and SABBA supports all measures to regulate trading of butterflies and moths. Members should be aware of the legislation covering the sale of particular species; such is found in the red data books and be prepared to assist the authorities in monitoring and upholding the law. Members are strongly urged not to support the trade in protected species through the purchase of stock from commercial breeders. A code of conduct on livestock rearing for members and educational purposes is in preparation, and will be implemented by the South African Butterfly Breeding Association, SABBA.

COLLECTING for REARING and RELEASE
Collecting for captive rearing purposes can have a legitimate educational objective and can be a useful way of understanding some of the details of the life history of butterflies and moths. However, scarce species should not be collected at all, unless as an integral part of a conservation program approved by the Conservation authorities and other leading conservation bodies. For such purposes it is preferable to collect the earlier life cycle stages of a species rather than the adult form and to collect from non-conservation sites. Should a collector want to breed butterflies, he/she undertakes to be members of the South African Butterfly Breeding Association, SABBA, for the correct procedures and according to a code of conduct presented by the organization. Restraint should be exercised in the numbers of eggs and larvae taken for rearing and any release should be onto the sites from which they were originally collected. Releases should be reported to the appropriate SABBA offices. A recommended 15 percent of butterflies should be released from a single breeding.

Note
The contents of this code should not be construed as reasons for failing to comply with the law concerning protected Lepidoptera. If any person is uncertain as to the legal requirements for PERMITS regarding the legitimate possession of specimens of protected species or captive breeding stock for commercial purposes, advice should be sought from the relevant bodies such as SABBA, CBISA, Department of Environment &Tourism, Conservation Services, and WESSA.

Responses from clients
I cannot adequately express the emotions I felt on Saturday during our function when I opened the packets and those butterflies rose. It was like receiving a blessing from the Lord and I thank you for giving me that blessing. I shall never forget the experience. Your care and concern touched me deeply and I thank you. All God’s blessing for giving an old man much joy.
Father Morgan Ellis

We opened our packets around my daughter Sharon, 12 years old. So she opened her packet. I got such a shock when she collapsed onto the ground and started crying, filled with emotion. I will never forget this day and the expression on her face. It was one of those, once in a million moments of time. Thank you so very much.
Megan Mills

Note:
We receive many letters from clients that have been more than thrilled with our service. Please send in your experiences and allow us to include them on this site. Email to orders@butterflyweddings.co.za.
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Are you getting married soon? Having a function and need confetti? Or has someone dear to you passed on and you need to let go by releasing their spirit in the form of a butterfly?
www.butterflyweddings.co.za