How Do Butterfly Farms Work?

Butterflies come from breeding farms in many different tropical countries, such as Philippines, Costa Rica, Uganda, Kenya or Tanzania. Insects are farmed to be exported to tropical greenhouses and live exhibitions all around the world.

Butterflies trade represents a substantial source of income for local communities. Thanks to such activities, populations are less inclined to pursue intensive agricultural activities, which damage the environment, often leading to desertification.

Butterfly farming is eco-friendly, respectful of the forests, as natural habitat for the insects. Moreover, local populations are able to easily manage the initial breeding stages from within their own dwellings.

Butterflies live in outdoor pens, located on the house's backyards, within wild nature, where farmers can grow specific plants to host the insect eggs; these plants will then represent the main source of food for the growing maggots. Thanks to butterfly farming, local communities are made aware of the botanical knowledge of their countries, understanding the importance of biological diversity preservation. Finally, these farms very often promote fund raising activities, stability, poverty reduction and preservation of the forest; an inspiring case is the Amani Butterfly Project in East Usambara mountains, Tanzania.