Your net should be at least 2 feet deep. However, keep in mind, in some areas, you will need a permit to carry a butterfly net. Check with your local laws to see if it applies to you. [1] X Research source Your hoop should be wide enough to make it easy for butterflies to fit through, though you don’t want it so large that you can’t handle it easily. Also, you should be able to see through the netting. The netting should be coarse, so you can move it through the air without much wind resistance. The handle should be sturdy enough that it doesn’t break when you flip the net around.
In tropical climates, you’ll usually find butterflies roosting underneath leaves or branches, and you’ll find them there in temperate climates, too, when it’s raining or cloudy. Otherwise, you’ll often find them roosting on the tops of grass or leaves in temperate climates. Remember that some butterflies will be camouflaged very well to blend in with their surroundings, so you’ll need to look closely. [2] X Research source
Make sure to mark any information you need on the outside of the envelope in permanent ink. You may want to use a specimen number or note the date, time, and area you found the specimen. You may also want to note if the specimen was with a partner. [5] X Research source
Glass or plastic isn’t as good because the butterfly can’t walk on it. Some butterflies won’t eat at all. However, most eat nectar or sugar water. [7] X Research source
Look for feeding damage in the shade. On milkweed, for instance, milkweed bugs may damage the plant in the sun, but in the shade, it’s more likely monarch caterpillar damage. Get in close. Some caterpillars will be pretty tiny, not bigger than 5 or 6 millimeters, though they can also get an inch or so long. The eggs are also fairly tiny. In the case of monarchs, they are tiny white balls. Don’t take too many caterpillars from one spot. Leave some to grow up in the wild. [10] X Research source
You can use a smaller enclosure, as long as you provide proper ventilation at the top. You can also place tissue paper or blank newspaper at the bottom to collect droppings.
If you do put branches in water, try to block most of the top of the glass or jar, so the caterpillars don’t fall in and drown. [13] X Research source Consider rinsing leaves in water and leaving them wet. Doing so can provide the caterpillars with the moisture they need.
Your caterpillar will likely remain in this stage throughout the winter if it went into the pupation stage in the fall. It’s not dead, just turning into a butterfly. Make sure the pupa is high enough. It should stay hung up (for most butterflies), giving the butterfly space to emerge. Hang up the leaf or stick if is too low to the bottom of the cage. You can also glue a cocoon up. Add a dab of low-temp hot glue to a piece of paper. Let it cool, but make sure to move while it is still liquid. Place the tip of the cocoon in the glue. Hold it there until it dries. Tape or pin the paper up so the butterfly has space to emerge. [16] X Research source
