Raising delicate butterflies

Text and photos by Mitch Kezar

Monarch butterflies gently rest on a flower at the home of Penny Strine, dubbed The Butterfly Lady.

Penny Strine's acreage near Hayesville, Ohio, is alive with butterflies. Since 1999 Penny, known locally as The Butterfly Lady, has supplied her homegrown monarchs to mark special occasions such as weddings and funerals. She takes pride in knowing her creatures enhance the lives of so many people. She shares stacks of letters giving thanks.

One woman writes that after the memorial service for her mother, one of the butterflies flew to her. "I felt that my mother's spirit landed on my shoulder."

Schoolkids love her program called Monarch Watch. They are able to follow the migration of the farm-raised monarchs by special tracking numbers placed under the wings. "One of the kids learned his butterfly was located in rural Mexico," says Penny. "He was so proud that his butterfly had made the trip."

Not quite that easy

A registered butterfly breeder, Penny's business grew from the simple desire to spend more time with her two children. She had been working at a veterinary clinic and liked her job but wanted to work at home on her own schedule. She turned to the Internet and found a Web site saying, "Raise butterflies at home and make plenty of money from your desktop." That was the beginning.

"I soon learned it wasn't going to be quite that easy," she says. With the help of the International Butterfly Breeders' Association, she learned the stages of production, from early larvae through eggs, pupae, and adults.

Her land had to be prepared carefully to raise the delicate creatures. This meant no pesticide residues of any kind. Raising butterflies requires milkweed for food. The larvae are placed on the milkweed where they grow, eventually spinning themselves into a chrysalis or cocoon for the transformation into a butterfly.

A loving endeavor

Penny houses the hatched butterflies in a screened enclosure where they can stretch their wings and fly about safely. They eat watermelon pieces, ripe bananas, strawberries, pears, and apples. Nectar plants, echanacia, butterfly bush, and coreopsis enhance the environment.

Butterfly breeders are regulated by USDA, and permits are required to buy or sell them for commercial purposes.

"Raising these beautiful delicate creatures for the enjoyment of people -- I just can't believe there's any better job in the world," says Penny.

Browse a slideshow of more beautiful photos from Strine's butterfly farm