Monarch butterflies bring that special touch that will make your special day unforgettable.
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Birthday parties
Weddings
Memorials
Boy/Girl Scout meetings
Pre-schools
Nursing homes
Butterfly kits are perfect for all ages, including teachers!
This pipevine swallowtail will be going into a chrysalis within the next 24 hours. I still have 3 chrysalises that still haven't eclosed too. I'm kinda thinking these guys, plus the 2 other cats will emerge next spring.
And I have lots of Monarch caterpillars. Too many to count. This is the first year I have lots of blondies, very light caterpillars. They seem slow growing, but one tuened into a chrysalis, so I'm waiting to see if it happens to come out albino.
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A total of 117 Monarch butterflies were released in Bolingbrook over the past two days, with an additional pipevine swallowtail also released this morning.
Don't miss out on the opportunity to create unforgettable memories with Making Memories with Butterflies. Join us tomorrow at 12:00 pm on 7/27 at the market for a butterfly release. Purchase a kit and receive a complimentary coupon for one butterfly release or buy a raffle ticket for $1.00. Limited to 75 butterflies. Visit he4 tent before 11:50 am to secure your raffle ticket.
If you are near by and would like to attend this event, please sign up!
So many of us are nostalgic about fireflies, but hardly see them anymore! Let's help them make their way back into our landscape. We can support fireflies by making a few changes in our landscape practices!
🧪 Don’t use chemicals targeting insects: Fireflies are insects that use the ground, soil and leaf litter during various stages of their life cycle. Firefly larvae live one to two years and eat critters like snails, slugs and caterpillars (free pest control!).
🌾 Mow higher and/or less frequently: Fireflies are attracted to high grasses and rest on tall blades of grass or shrubbery. Lawns mowed at 3.5 or 4 inches are better for fireflies yet also may produce a healthier lawn. Some experts recommend cutting no more than one-third of the grass blades at a time to avoid scalping and stunting its growth.
🌱 Plant native grasses and shrubs: Great native grass choices include Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica), one of the earliest-blooming sedges in the spring; and Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), often grown as an ornamental, in part due to the attractive bronze color of its leaves in autumn.
💡 Reduce lights: Outdoor lights prevent fireflies from seeing each other’s flashes, making it difficult for them to communicate, defend their territory and find mates.
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I have butterfly kits available for $20 each, plus $5.00 for an extra chrysalis.
I will also have some butterflies available for releases this weekend if interested.
Please contact me if you are interested
I do not ship, so these are only for those who are local (near 355 and I55).
I still have plants available as well. Once I'm out, I'm out.
$3.00 each
6 for $15
10 for $25
Butterfly kits are available for $20 each (with one chrysalis) or $25 for a kit with two chrysalises. If you have a previous kit from me and want to purchase another chrysalis, it's still $5 each.
Just let me know via text what color you'd like and when you can stop by.
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Whether you already have a serious science lover in the family, or are trying to spark a new interest learning, raising butterflies at home is an ideal way to teach kids about life cycles.
This hands-on method will captivate them as their chrysalis emerges into a beautiful Monarch butterfly.
These butterfly kits will make traditional, boring at-home learning, exciting and educational. From sets that include live J-ing caterpillars, to plant-inclusive options and add-on options, you can count on these kits to provide your kids with a wonderful experience and lasting memories that they won't be able to stop talking about.
Worried about messing the process up? All my kits come with detailed instructions to ensure everything goes smoothly. The hardest part will be coming up with a name for the butterfly and letting your butterfly spread it's wings and go.
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Come and bring the family out to the Cedar Lake Farmer's Market (7408 Constitution Ave, Cedar Lake, IN 46303) today. There will be over 80 vendors at today's market with a lot of kid activities and food booths.
I will be in spot #40 from 2p - 8p selling butterfly kits with 1 chrysalis for $15 each (while supplies last) and educating those who want to learn how to help save the Monarchs.
There will be a butterfly release with over 50 Monarchs at 5pm in front of the stage.
Here's a peak at all the vendors and where they will be located:
118. 4 Paws Sewing
111. Adorable Kreations
77. Amandalynn Bowtique
End cap: Angela's Craft Corner
38. Gary price Artist
56. Astromx sabers
58. Bathsheba Body Works
60. Beaded by Michelle
127. Bevi COFFEE TRUCK
59. BluEnvy
52. Bone Appetit
63. BunchesLife
81. C&O Glow
123. Caralyn's Hair Braiding & Boutique
8/9. Chel Foods FOOD TRUCK
120. Christian Culture Company
108. Color Street- Little Gail nails
Grassy area.
Coopers Party Rentals BOUNCE HOUSE/
97. Cutting edge knives
112. Cooper and Cay Boutique
125. Corn Kid
114. Crafty Patti’s
107. Craft Creations
106. Creations by Allison
61. Crochet by Rose
54. CtCraftCo
57. Cuteness overload slime
108. Dirtbikes and Daisies Bow-tique
15. Geeky Goodies Gourmet Marshmallows
55. Get Bent Jewelry
16. Gigi's Blingy Thingys
08. Glow Up
101. Good Morning Bakery
51. Happy Travel A
78. Hannah’s Mary Kay
36. Holiday Outdoor Decor
76. Jazlyn's Home Essentials
48. KCP Designz
Grassy area:
Keep The Faith Ranch PONY RIDES
62. Kimis Glasses
35. Knot Just Wreaths
110. Lake Brothers
45. Lather Me Up Soaps++Paul’s pumpkins 47
117. Magical Mystery Attic
40. Making Memories with Butterflies
***BUTTERFLY RELEASE AT 5p***
115. Mes Deux Filles
104. Melody glassworks
3/4. Mis Tacos
18. Modern Antique Radios
139. Modern Midwest Cuisine
103. Natural Vibes
122. Old Bird Farm & Apothecary
43. Paige’s Sweet Treats
34. PawTree pet nutrition
13. Polly Ann Cakes
126. Refuge Coffee
19. Rocks On the Porch/ The Board Kids
119. Rock a toy
80. RONDI’S Curiosities
121. Sandy Oak Ranch PETTING ZOO
17. SewVida
41. Shabby Attic signature candles
79. Stone N Pallet
42. Teddy Bear Blankets by Grandma Pam
128. The burger stand
5-7. The Cheesy Food Truck
39. The Rootery
44. The Five Acre Farm
124. The Sugar Shack
53. TheCraftyCows LLC
74. Tiny Giraffes
135. TJ's Kettle Corn & Roasted Nuts
116. Trois Chiens et Moi
1/2. Twisted Sugar
99. Verbish Family Games KIDS GAMES
??. Vito’s Italian Ice
64. Wild Rose Designs
Hope to see you today and thank you for supporting our small businesses.
~Cindy
I will be at the Plainfield Farmers Market today selling a limited number of monarch butterfly kits (with 1-2 chrysalises in each kit).
I will be also be doing a butterfly release at 1:30pm.
Date: 08/27/2023 11AM - 3PM
Location: Plainfield Public Library Parking Lot
15025 S. Illinois Street
Plainfield , Illinois 60544
The market features locally grown produce and is held in the Library Parking Lot on Sundays through September 10, which I also plan on attending.
Hope to see you there!
~Cindy
P.S. Monarch season ends mid-Oct, so if you would like additional kits, add-on chrysalises or a butterfly release, you can always make an appointment to pick them up from me in Bolingbrook.
I'll be in the bright orange tent selling butterfly kits at the Bolingbrook Jubilee on Saturday, Aug 19th and Sunday, Aug 20th.
On Saturday, we are releasing butterflies at 3:30p and on Sunday, the release will be at 3:45p.
If you haven't been to the Jubilee, this wil be the perfect time to check it out (look at the line-up)!
~Cindy
I released another 50 butterflies today and spotted 2 Monarchs drinking necter from my 8 foot tall cut leaf coneflower.
I have 8 events in the next 7 weeks.
If I don't run out of chrysalises, I will be selling them at the following events:
Aug 19th and 20th (12 - 6p both days) Bolingbrook Jubilee
Aug 23rd (3p - 8p) Cedar Lake Farmer's Market
Aug 27th (11a - 3p) Plainfield Farmer's Market
Sept 3rd (2p-8p) Cedar Lake Labor Day Fest
Sept 10th (11a - 3p)
Plainfield Farmer's Market
Sept 13th (3p - 8p)
Cedar Lake Farmer's Market
Sept 23rd (9a - 5p)
Sunset Hill Farm Fall Fest
Sept 27th (3 - 8p)
Cedar Lake Farmers Market
ADDRESSES:
Bolingbrook Jubilee
375 W. Briarcliff Rd
Bolingbrook, Illinois
Cedar Lake Farmers Market
7408 Constitution Av
Cedar Lake, IN
Plainfield Farmers Market
15025 S. Illinois Street
Plainfield , IL
Sunset Hill Farm
775 N. Meridian
Valparaiso, IN
Look at these beautiful milkweed plants I picked today in Romeoville. These plants should feed my hungry cats for the next 2 days.
I will be at the Cedar Lake Farmers Market today from 3p-7:30p, so if you are looking to buy a kit, or pick up extra chrysalises for a kit you already purchased from me, I will be at the orange tent near the front entrance.
I will also be releasing over 100 Monarchs at 5p in front of the stage.
Hope to see you there!
I will be at the Plainfield Farmers Market today (August 6th) from 11-3p selling butterfly kits.
I will also be doing a butterfly release at noon. So, feel free to stop by.
It's been a long time since I found an egg on my milkweed, but today I found 11 eggs and 1 caterpillar in my backyard!
My kind of bouquet!
Monarch season has officially begun in Bolingbrook today with me finding 2 eggs!
Woo Hoo!!!
~Cindy
We are closed for the season and plan on returning in June.
PLANT SALE:
I will begin winter sowing in a couple more weeks and plan on having my annual plant sale June/July. All plants are organic.
SEEDS:
In the meantime, if you would like to attract butterflies to your garden, I have plenty of seeds. Just let me know what seeds you would like. If you are local, you can swing by to pick some up. If you aren't local, just send me a SASE with 2 stamps on the inside envelope. I can mail out a total of 7 packets of seeds per envelope. If you have native seeds, you'd be willing to swap; let me know.
I can NOT mail seeds internationally (sorry).
Here is a list of seeds I have available:
1. Amsonia tabernaemontana
2. Angle Trumpet
3. Anise Hyssop
4. Aster, magenta
5. Aster, New England
6. Aster, smooth blue
7. Aster, Tansy
8. Bee Balm
9. Black Eyed Susan 1-3 '
10. Black Eyed Suaan (native blooms later than typical BES)
11. Blanket Flower
12. Blazing Star, Gayfeather
13. Blazing Star, Rough
14. Blazing Star, Savanna
15. Cleome
16. Cutleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata)
17. Coneflower, Greyheaded
18. Coneflower, purple
19. Coreopsis
20. Cosmos
21. Dill, mammoth
22. Dogbane
23. False/Wild Indigo
24. Globe Amaranth
25. Golden Alexander
26. Goldenrod, Solidago Canadensis
27. Hosta, Green
28. Ironweed, Smooth
29. Jewel of Opar
30. Joe Pye
31. Lambs ear
32. Lantana
33. Lilac bush
34. Milkweed, butterflyweed
35. Milkweed, Common
36. Milkweed, Honeyvine
37. Milkweed, Swamp
38. Milkweed, Tropical
39. Milkweed, Whorled
40. Mums
41. Painted Daisy
42. Primrose, evening
43. Queen Annie's Lace
44. Rue, common
45. Sedum, Autumn Joy
46. Shasta Daisy
47. Silver dollar
48. Speedwell
49. Strawflower
50. Sunflower, Downy
51. Sunflower, Mexican
52. Toothache
53. Yarrow.
Please send me a PM or text message, if interested in any seeds or if you would like to know when my plant sale starts.
~Cindy
While milkweed hunting today, I can't believe I found these beauties! I'm just hoping they somehow were able to avoid being found by the tachinid fly (their 2nd top predator). I will be sure to separate them from my other cats.
Oh, and I found an Isabella Tiger caterpillar (aka woolybear)! This will be 2nd one I will see turn into a... beautiful flying pollinator (I can't use the word that starts with M because my mom is very afraid of this type of night-time pollinator). Their host plant is sunflower and Aster (which I have plenty of).
The woolybear is resting in the cup.
I love finding perfect milkweed so late in the season! This should feed my big cats for 24 hours.
As a bonus, I found a tiny baby on a leaf!
So, keep checking every milkweed; babies are still out there needing our help.
6 more weeks left and the season is over :(
If you are interested in me doing an interactive presentation for a girl/boy scout meeting, please let me know ASAP. There are only 5 weekends left for the season.
The cost is $150 for a presentation (plus travel fee) that can last 1-2 hours. I ask that every child who attends orders a kit, and for every kit ordered, that will reduce the price of the presentation. So, if your troop has 10 kids and they all order a kit, there is no out-of-pocket cost to have me come. All daytime meetings end with a butterfly release.
I've attached a copy of the pre-order form.
~Cindy
Butterfly kits are still available and come in a choice of 16 different ribbons.
A kit with 1 chrysalis is still just $15.00
A kit with 2 chrysalises is still just $20.00
As always, you can add-ons (new chrysalises) for $5.00 each, as long as you keep your kit. Yes, this means next week, next month, next year.
A kit makes a great classroom gift for a teacher of any grade.
Butterfly season is ending soon, so if you've wanted a kit or chrysalises, but just never got around to letting me know, please do so soon.
Most Monarchs born after Labor Day will be migrators, they stay in their chrysalis for a couple extra days, are born bigger and stronger and tend to fly after 3 hours.
Did you know wings of butterflies do not have nerve endings, so it's similar to cutting your hair, except wings don't grow back 😀.
A friend had given me a butterfly (name is 3) that had fallen shortly after she had eclosed, so the butterfly ended up with 3 bent wings.
In the 14 years I've been raising Monarchs, I've done 7 single wing transplants, 1 triple wing transplant and 1 quadruple. Yes, they were all successful except the quadruple wing transplant patient). So, I figured why not help this beautiful butterfly.
I should have put her in the fridge for a while but didn't. So, she was a bit more active than I would have liked her to be, and because of this, it took about 20 minutes in all.
Here are the pics I took of her in surgery. She is resting comfortably in an enclosure, and I will try to release her tomorrow.
The wings aren't perfect, but close enough so she can fly.
The last 2 pics are of dead butterflies I have saved over the last 14 years. I never purposely kill them, but if they ate tainted leaves, most are unable to fly
Around this time of the year, it becomes a challenge to find milkweed that hasn't been tainted, but I found some!
These bouquets should last my cats 2 days.
In this video, I dissect a dead Monarch caterpillar to reveal what actually killed him.
IL
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A total of 117 Monarch butterflies were released in Bolingbrook over the past two days, with an additional pipevine swallowtail also released this morning.
In this video, I dissect a dead Monarch caterpillar to reveal what actually killed him.
This video shows how I avoid caterpillars from attacking each other when they become big and are about ready to J.
BAD NEWS... Riley (the smaller of the 2 Monarch caterpillars I found on my milkweed, last week) did not make it. Yesterday she J'ed and she was way too young to do so. Sure enough, when I got home from egg hunting today, I saw that 2 tachnid fly larve had emerged out of her. Tachinid flies are my #1 reason why I raise monarchs inside. Even though there is a 97% chance a caterpillar I find in the wild is bring eaten alive, I still bring them inside. Here is a quick video.
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