I am looking for resources/books/articles/whatever might help me with taming butterflies - handling butterflies.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

You can tame butterflies???? I had no idea. Is this really true???

Not as in TAME, but handling, what should I do, don't, etc etc, how to "load", what to use? I am looking for a stone to butterfly effect here...

Try getting in touch with Andrew Goldenhersh, he's got a pretty killer butterfly effect...

I saw Andrew hung out last Friday (Hallooween night) at Magic Castle, Hooray...You must see his close up act. He produced a butterfly from an origamy and it's beautful when you see it came to life and flutter down to audience. Contact him at http://www.goldenhands.com/
GOLDEN HANDS ENTERTAINMENT
8721 Santa Monica Boulevard, #112
Los Angeles, California 90069

(800) 480-7586

Thank you guys!

Pkg,

Butterflies have a 2 - 3 week life span. They are a pain to keep, requiring Milk Weed as worms for their survival, be ready to spend money on some weeds that grow in Texas. As adults they eat sugar water such as Gatorade, contact a local breeder in your area that sells them for wedding releases.

For magic they can be thumb palmed for a production, clip them with their wings closed sorta like thumb palming a coin. Then use your imagination for an effect.

G0THIKE

Be careful some butterfly species have very delicate wings

I didn't know this was possible.

I once traveled this path too. It was just too much trouble deal with it.

You can't train butterflies. You just have to learn to handle and care for them.
You are better off using moths.You can't handle the wings without damaging them.
They have a very limited life span. You can't do the effects anytime. Extreme preparation is needed.
Feeding is not a problem however. You can use the same nectar you use for humming birds and it must be fresh and sterile.

There is an effect in one of the Art of Astonishment books (I think #2) called Creation. You take a napkin and fold it into a cocoon and when you break it open a live moth flies out. Pretty effect but difficult to deal with due to all the negatives of dealing with moths and butterflies. You obviously can't set up but a couple minutes in advance.

I liked the cocoon effect, but didn't want to let an insect loose in my venue. With my luck it would be a female moth ready to lay a clutch of eggs.

Pkg,

You can check out this guy for a source. I have met him at a function and his butterflies are for effect and release. If you are serious about this and do it in the proper environment, he can supply all your butterfly needs.

http://www.monarchbutterfly.com/monarchweddings.htm

All the best,

Rob

Any EXTRA fast shipping? I live in Lebanon it takes at least 6 days using EXPRESS! thank you for the advice guys! I think I would be better off without it till someone starts "raising" them here (now that's another business idea for me!)

If you buy Monarchs buy lots of Milk Weed, the butterflies lay tiny eggs in the leaves of the Milk Weed, then they hatch and the caterpillars eat the leaves of the Milk Weed like crazy. They then cacoon on the Milk Weed. Their whole life evolves around Milk Weed till they metamorph.

G0THIKE

Just a quick update, if someone is interested I posted a solution in the "triple dare" section! works like charm!

This has been a most interesting post. I have learned a lot about butterflies from here and the link to the Canadian producer.Thanks for the information.

PKG

Try this site for Calloway Gardens. It may save you a lot of time and mistakes.

http://www.naba.org/orgwed.html

Ask for:

Cynthia Mazer
Director, Day Butterfly Center

Good Luck!

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

How about producing a cockroach from the cocoon thing? Or one of those ugly horned beetles? A white mouse?

Bob: thank you! but the fastest shipping to Lebanon would take 7 days (express) which by that time, all my butterflies would be "lifeless"...

Bill : check out one of my posts in the bizarre section, I turned bread into something really hideous