I have been looking into home businesses to make our 2 acres pay for itself and I ran across the butterfly farming idea. Has anyone ever done it or do you know of one that is profitable? Are there other insects or small things you can raise for $$$ like that?

-- Renee' Madden (RM6PACK@aol.com), July 26, 2000

Answers

Believe it or not bug ranching is big business for some folks. Now I can't give you details because I forgot (I always heard smoking that stuff when I was young would make me forgetful) but anyway, I saw on TV that there is a woman down by Corpus Christi, Texas who raises butterflies and sells them to people who release them at weddings and stuff like that. I'll try to get that info for you because I remember the show it was on. Also, somewhere down in Central Texas is a company that raises things like lady bugs by the zillions to sell to people who do organic farming. I don't have a clue as to how to find out about them but I remember it was a big business for them. Might just search some web sites. I have seen a bunch of sites for raising butterflies. Just put in butterfly ranching and stuff like that and you ought to be able to find some stuff.

-- Joe Cole (jcole@apha.com), July 26, 2000.

You might want to try a year's subscription to Butterfly Farming magazine. It's $19.95 a year from Schatz Publishing Group, 11950 W. Highland Avenue, Blackwell, OK 74631. These same folks publish AgVentures magazine ($21 year)which I am impressed with. Articles are very researched, in depth and include sources of further information.

I read a fair number of articles on it, which are all positive to glowing, but I am still leary of it. Just sounds like one of those too good to be true opportunities.

One use for the butterflies mentioned is for release at weddings. There are people who keep white doves for the same purpose. As the bride and groom come out of the church they are each handed a dove to release at the same time as two cages are opened releasing more to the oohs and ahhs of the guests. The doves have been trained to fly back to their coop and are thus reusable. Here at least they produce the equivalent of squab.

-- Ken Scharabok (scharabo@aol.com), July 26, 2000.

www.wildranch.com will give you some ideas of how to market butterflies. I don't have any personal experience to share but if I were you I would try to find someone who does before spending any money. I took Ken's advice from his book & got a subscription to Agventures, & I love it. Thanks, Ken!

-- Lenore (archambo@winco.net), July 27, 2000.

Up here in MA, there is a butterfly farm. they give tours starting in early spring. they certainly were doing a good business when i went to visit! And what a beautiful "crop"!!

-- Sue (sualndherb@aol.com), July 31, 2000.