Building or buying a caterpillar house

[John MacGregor]

> Can any one help me with obtaining a caterpillar house or obtaining 
> plans for building one with recommended materials?
>
> I have in mind a structure on the lines of a chicken coop or pigeon
> loft in which food and nectar plants can be set in pots and where the
> caterpillars could safely mature and the butterflies emerge and be
> released.
>
> I have a comprehensive butterfly garden but fear that the mortality
> rate of caterpillars is extremely high, mostly due to a healthy
> population of Florida lizards. I should like to harvest at least some
> caterpillars and rear them to maturity in such an enclosure.

Lodewyk,

I recommend that you join the Yahoo Gardenwithbutterflies group.  It is a
congregation of amateurs, many of whom have extensive experience doing just
what you are about to undertake.  Several have constructed just such
caterpillar shelters as you describe.  You will find descriptions of several
in the group archives.  They also are very helpful with advice when you run
into problems.  Go the the homepage and sign up:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gardenwithbutterflies

John MacGregor
South Pasadena, CA 91030
USDA zone 9   Sunset zones 21/23 

 
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